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WITNEY DEANERY

VISION AND MISSION

ACTION PLAN 2016-2020

DRAFT – Jan2016v4

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INTRODUCTORY MESSAGE FROM OUR AREA DEAN

Spiritual renewal is a constant hope for the living church, as our Living Faith initiative reminds

us. Such transformation and renewal tends to be generated from within, using limited outside resources. This task begins with the Faithful seeing themselves as part of a creative and

dynamic body (Ephesians 4.16), ready to be moulded and changed by God.

As we renew our Deanery Mission Action Plan and look again at our Vision, I am clear that real change can only come when our whole deanery starts to think differently about spiritual renewal. In seeking this spiritual renewal our thinking must be radical in the sense that long-

held views will be altered, structures torn down and our vision reshaped. Our God is a consuming fire, not a breeze in the park. We must be like the rush of iron filings to a magnet,

stirred by the turbulence of the Spirit of Pentecost. For some this will be a challenging stage of our life as a deanery. For others it will be a time of

reinvesting and reimagining. For all of us, it is an opportunity. And for all of us there is a need to be attentive to the voice of the God who calls and who is always faithful.

There is an old Hebrew prayer which says, ‘Days pass, years vanish, and we walk sightless among miracles’. So often today people focus on ‘my’ spirituality and neglect to focus on the

presence of God in community. The awareness of spiritual renewal, grounded in the reality of our communities and the present moment, must lie at the heart of our governance and

ministry. Let us be attentive to the miracles around us! As we once more consider our deanery and attend to what the Spirit may be saying to the

churches we are called to enable and encourage others to realize that we are being Church together – guided by the missionary characteristics of holiness, catholicity and apostolicity.

And above all, I hope that we will hold prayer at the heart of our vision and action as a deanery.

God our creator and Redeemer, help your church to grow in holiness, unity,

effectiveness and numbers. Draw us closer to you and to those around us. Give us enthusiasm in our faith,

and wisdom in sharing it with young and old. Open our eyes to new opportunities,

our lips to sing and speak of you, and our hearts to welcome the stranger. Grow your kingdom in us and in the world,

through the intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Amen. (Mike Bourke)

Toby Wright Area Dean

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LIVING FAITH

Commit your work to the Lord

and your plans will be established

- Proverbs 16 vs 3 (NRSV)

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MISSION

We have readings in Churches every Sunday from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

and they in turn tell us about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Gospel means ‘good news’ – how did

you feel the last time you received some good news of the birth of a grandchild, a new job

opportunity, passing an exam or receiving the “all clear”? When we receive good news we are

excited, elated and thankful and often we celebrate with friends and tell others about our good

fortune. The challenge for us as Churches is to remember that we have a message of good

news, that can still change lives and bring excitement, elation and thankfulness. Now as much

as ever is the time to celebrate this good news with friends and tell others of our good fortune,

so that they can share in the hope of this message. How we share this good news across the

Deanery will vary but keeping our eyes on those outside the Church, as much as we do the

needs within, will play an important part in helping us to make our Mission Action Plan more

than just words.

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SOME THOUGHTS TO BEAR IN MIND WHEN CONSIDERING THIS DOCUMENT

A Deanery Vision and Mission Action Plan seeks to look at the “bigger picture” within the

Deanery. It is particularly concerned with resourcing the local situation and encouraging

Parishes and Benefices to do things better.

Over recent years, the Diocese has been committed to the principle of Sharing Life whereby its

purpose is to create caring, sustainable and growing Christian presence. Where this is not

happening in parts of the Deanery, how can this be addressed? What support and resources will

you need to do things better?

We recognise that some of the boundaries that exist between Parishes, Benefices, Deaneries

and Archdeaconries are at times artificial. We are aware that informally cooperation and sharing

various initiatives already occur. It may be that other possibilities could be explored. What

boundaries might need to be relaxed in order to respond to the mission and ministry

challenges? Are there any relationships that could be developed with others outside your Parish

or Benefice?

The Church has an enormous resource in the form of lay people, many of whom already

perform vital roles within the church and others untrained but wanting to serve. How are we all

encouraging and enabling all lay people to grow and develop in their discipleship? What training

needs are there and how are these to be met?

As the role and structure of many Church of England schools evolves, this should provide us

with an opportunity to forge links and build on existing relationships.

The presence of the UK’s largest RAF base at Brize Norton within the geographic confines of the

Deanery, may provide us with another opportunity for outreach. Although the base is not linked

to the Deanery, contact has been established with the Chaplaincy at Brize Norton.

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WITNEY DEANERY PRIORITIES (see our web-site)

Schools Ministry

Building on the local we hope to develop a more strategic focus for our ministry. Within the Church of

England almost 1 million school children are educated each year. We hope to support and extend our

ministry to schools and to support the Foundation Governors of Church Schools

Men’s Ministry

Why is this important? Over the last 20 years 38% of men attending church left the church. The rate at

which men are leaving the church is far greater than the rate at which women are leaving the church.

The current UK official statistics is 60% women to 40% men, although many suggest it is getting far

closer to 70:30. In addition, there is a real missional imperative in that statistically if we are able to

attract fathers to our churches then the family is over four times as likely to join them as when we attract

mothers. Missionally this is crucial to the future of the Church.

Communication and Gratitude

We are developing our website and other means of communication to ensure that we celebrate the great

things that are going on across our deanery already and to inspire more to happen. We seek to discover

life forces which can bring new ways of working as we focus on the positive. This is an attitude of

gratitude; as Karl Barth wrote, ‘Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth. Grace evokes

gratitude like the voice an echo. Gratitude follows grace like thunder follows lightening…’ Ch Dog IV/1

Much has already been achieved by working together.

In 2014 and 2015, our Deanery paid to the Diocese our full Parish Share – this had not

happened for many years. This was a good example of clear leadership and management

feeding through to Parishes and Benefices by clear communication and with some churches

helping others.

As more and more Schools convert to Academies, there is scope for many Church of England

schools helping others. There may also be opportunities of inter-action with non-C of E schools

to mutual benefit. Other churches are pursuing other initiatives to encourage families and

children eg Café Church.

Much is happening around the Deanery to promote Men’s Ministry. These are quite varied and

include Men’s Bible study groups, Men’s Breakfasts, Beer and Curry nights, walking weekends,

camping with children, scalextric and model engineering groups.

Communication of ideas from around the Deanery is a key ingredient. Please share these when

at Synod or other church meetings and perhaps submit entries for the web-site. In future the

greater use of social media may be an additional useful medium.

As the population in the Deanery grows and hopefully more attend our churches, there will be

more opportunities to involve Lay persons to assist our licensed clergy. As mentioned above,

just remember there are many with different skills within your community and matching these

to the growing needs of our Church can be very rewarding.

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WITNEY DEANERY – Anglican Churches and Church Schools - 2016

KEY

Anglican Church

Anglican School

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OVERVIEW

The Witney Deanery in West Oxfordshire has a population of around 70,000 (with over half

living in the towns of Witney and Carterton). This compares with a population of nearly 55,000

in 2001, around 64,100 in 2011 and further significant growth is planned. The Deanery links 38

church buildings and is served by 20? licensed clergy and a significant number of retired clergy

and lay ministers. The Electoral Roll for the Deanery was 1552 in 2013. For historical reasons,

most of the villages in the Deanery have their own church, often ancient and expensive to

maintain. There is a general anxiety about the continued upkeep of these buildings combined

with the ageing congregations. Optimism and new vitality are needed to address the growth of

our churches and this Plan aims to address these issues. Vision and MAP is about spiritual

renewal.

The growth in population and particularly New Communities around Witney and Carterton, pose

particular challenges not only for local infrastructure but matching pastoral support with the

needs of those new to the area. However, there are also real mission opportunities here and this

is seen as a development area for our Deanery during the life of this Plan.

The Oxford Diocese regards deaneries as the key agents for planning and advising on the

deployment of ministry resources in support of the church’s mission across their area. The

Bishop charges the Area Dean, parish ministers and elected lay members of the Deanery synod

with developing a clear plan for responding to the current and anticipated future needs of the

communities served. Past plans have had mixed success with planning initiatives and we have

now resolved to develop a new kind of plan using the principles of mission action planning.

Our plan comprises two elements: first, a web of local mission ideas which are determined from

the “bottom-up” by each parish or benefice using MAP; second, a set of strategic areas or

themes drawn out from this where there is clearly common interest and/or the need for support

and partnership working. The Deanery enables the first element by offering practical advice and

support, through sharing ideas and best practice and by being willing to ask the tough questions

where necessary. The Deanery enables the second by drawing out key common themes, sharing

resources, developing formal and informal partnerships and advising the Bishop on the

deployment of resources.

We pray this is a plan that continuously reflects local mission needs and gives real purpose to

working together as a Deanery. Appendix 1 shows the local mission priorities identified by each

of the parishes. Appendix 2 shows the strategic priorities currently identified for the deanery.

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Mission Action Planning

Common Framework & Guiding Principles

There are potential dangers of a ‘bottom up’ approach to mission, especially within a wide diversity of church expressions and contexts. It could lead to an

unhelpful parochialism without any sense of the wider needs of mission. We have therefore agreed to use the Diocesan ‘Living Faith’ vision and strategy

as a common framework of the aspects of mission that we can reasonably expect every church in our deanery to be seeking to develop (even if locally we

use different terminology). As we share and discuss our individual mission priority areas we will consider how they may serve:

g vibrant Christian communities;

king disciples;

, collaborative leaders. And we have also adopted three principles which we have formally agreed as a

deanery must underpin our approach to all shared mission planning:

– as much in depth of Christian discipleship as in numbers– by identifying opportunities and the ways in which they can be most effectively pursued locally.

This means that we are prepared to confront the facts about our current context and ministry and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of how we are

living out our faith. As well as celebrating what is already fruitful, we recognise that every parish must be prepared for the potential and need for doing things differently.

of Christian ministry - including for example, different styles of worship and spirituality; provision for baptisms, weddings, funerals; styles of Christian teaching and preaching; pastoral and practical care; disciple-ship support and

opportunities to be introduced to the Christian faith.

This means that we cannot focus on serving potential areas of new growth without identifying how existing needs in parishes can be met through different and innovative use of ministry resources including the way we deploy our

stipendiary, self-supporting and lay ministers.

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to enable collaborative ministry and approaches to mission across the Witney deanery – reflecting the conviction that each church expression has

gifts to offer others, as well as needs.

This means we can help each parish to identify the ways in which they can share with others to the benefit of all. Our plans for the deployment of ministers will

not begin from an assumption that there will have to be formal pastoral re-organisation but they will assume that much can and must be achieved through

the development of informal collaborative working arrangements.

Process The essence of MAP is a ‘bottom-up’ approach in which each church, parish or

benefice is invited to discern and focus on a small number of mission priorities, as best fits with their particular context and circumstances. The key is identifying those things which should and can be done in the next given period and getting

on and doing them. It is often better to start small and build up to larger challenges. For some parishes it can mean choosing to do fewer things but to do

them better and more consistently.

A fundamental strength of our Deanery is the different styles and approaches to mission we take according to our different traditions, contexts and re-sources. The key elements of MAP should be common to us all but the way we each do

them should be as varied as we are!

Getting a true understanding of the current situation and the needs of the community being served.

Our ‘Parish Profile’: have we accurately assessed our church life, who is involved, the resources available, the history of the church, recurring mission

themes and possible sticking points? Our ‘Community’: have we accurate population and demographic

information, identifying local organisations and amenities, what are our local needs?

SWOT Analysis: Using the data from the Parish Profile and Community ‘audit’ - what are the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats?

What is realistic given our financial, building and people resource? considerations?

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Discerning God’s particular mission calling and the particular challenges and opportunities for growth in the community.

A Prayerful Conversation: with as many as possible to share ideas and hopes.

Being bold – not worrying too much about practicalities at the early stages. Then into ‘Vision’ development work: PCC meetings, ‘away days’, church gatherings, sermon series etc.

Bringing together - ‘our story’, ‘the community’s story’ and ‘God’s story’ - drafting, exploring and refining ideas....seeking a ‘common mind’.

drawing up realistic plans, in line

with the resources available locally and through others.

Taking stock: what is needed to realise the ideas that have come out of the vision exercise? Who in the church community could take things forward? Who can we partner with in the community and in the deanery?

- ‘Quick Wins’: what can be introduced and make an impact quickly? - ‘Medium range’: what can we do with time and preparation?

- ‘Long range’: what will need significant time and investment? SMART objectives: what are the steps required for each of these - Specific,

Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timed. Forming Partnerships: who do we need to approach first? How can the deanery help us?

Communicating the plans, celebrating achievements, reviewing

and refining in the light of experience Sharing the MAP: setting out the priorities and how to achieve them.

Sharing this with the congregation as a collaborative activity to give a sense of ‘ownership’.

Launch: sharing the vision with the wider community; both church goers and those groups and people who have links with the church. Communicating and Celebrating: through Sunday services, PCC meetings,

Parish magazines, Annual Reports etc. Reviewing & refining: agreeing through the PCC how and when to review,

updating the ‘Parish Profile’ and ‘Community Audits’ in the light of experience and developing new plans

Informing and encouraging all to join in this - Sunday services, PCC meetings,

Parish magazines, Annual Reports church away-days etc.

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APPENDIX 1 : WITNEY DEANERY VISION & MISSION ACTION PLAN : PARISH/BENEFICE MAP PRIORITIES

PARISH /

BENEFICE Priority 1 Priority 2 Priority 3

Alvescot

Complete build works

Encourage visitors

Pay off loan

Bampton with

Clanfield

Messy Church

(Bampton) & Lay-led

Family Services

(A&C)

Enhance buildings for wider community use

Build on School

links

Black Bourton

Increase congregation

Fix Fabric

Financially sustainable

Brize Norton

Increase

visibility

Maintain fabric

Increase income

Broadwell

Broughton Poggs

with Filkins

Better

facilities

Family friendly

Connect with teens

Burford with

Asthall, Swinbrook Widford &

Taynton

Review mid-

week Discipleship and Home

groups

Finish & launch

Warwick Hall

Plant two new

Congregations In Warwick hall

Carterton

Work / Mission in community

Men’s and Women’s Ministries

New housing

Cogges, Witney

Redevelop

buildings

Rejig Service pattern

Assist belonging

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Curbridge

Install plumbing

Community links

Build common life o/s worship

Ducklington

Fulbrook

Continue

Outreach

Develop Services

Reduce

bureaucracy

Hailey Replace Church floor Share responsibilities

Dementia accreditation

Holwell

Kelmscott

Kencot

Langford

Maintenance of building

Develop space flex

Attract more

Little Faringdon

Lower Windrush

Benefice

Grow active

core

Occasional attenders

to deeper, regulars

Creative use of IT

Minster Lovell Outreach Ministry to tourists Pastoral Team

North Leigh

School, Open the

Book

Men's Ministry

Enhance Pastoral

Support

Shifford

Shilton

South Leigh

Develop building

Focus Outreach

Engage with Village

Westwell

Witney

Even better

use of building

Enhance welcoming

Review real faith

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Wood Green, Holy Trinity

Renew and maintain

fabric

Share responsibilities

Enhance community service

APPENDIX 2: DEANERY PRIORITIES

The Deanery priorities are –

1. Schools Ministry

Most of the Parishes within Witney Deanery also have within them a

church-foundation school, either Voluntary Aided or Voluntary

Controlled. In addition to this, all parishes in the Deanery have been

forging connections with community schools, many of which have

been in place for years. Local churches have provided Collective

Worship, Governorship, a venue for key moments in the schools’

years and other more contextual engagements.

We are looking to encourage this engagement to use the Deanery

as a means for sharing and developing good practice and as a

forum for finding creative ways to tell the story of our faith. We will

look towards bringing together Foundation Governors to share their

experiences and to encourage a high quality of collective worship by

bringing together experienced practitioners with those who are new

to its joys.

2. Men’s Ministry

A variety of events already takes place around the Deanery, some

of which are purely social, some focusing on discipleship and others

with an element of outreach. As well as the sharing of best practice

ideas, we wish to encourage parishes, when practicable and

suitable, to invite participation from around the Deanery. The

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Deanery web-site and/or facebook page should be used to publicise

and promote events of this kind.

Some clergy have found that their membership of community

groups and societies, such as sport teams or amateur dramatic

societies, has led to them having an informal ‘chaplaincy role’ which

has reached fringe and unchurched men. We hope to encourage this

kind of development and provide some training and support.

3. Communication and Gratitude (add paras)

4. New Communities ( add paras)

In addition, we will strive to pay the Deanery’s Parish Share in full to the

Diocese each year, as in 2014 and 2015.

The future of some church buildings will continue to exercise minds. In

keeping with the Archdeaconry Plan, our deepest desire is to see all our

churches – large, small, successful, struggling, rural, urban, single or

multi- parishes – to flourish and grow. However, the encouragement of

independent sources of income may be needed to generate sufficient

income to keep some buildings alive. Inevitably responsibility for that will

fall on local congregations and wider members of the community in some

parishes and benefices.

As Vacancies appear and as population increases occur, the Pastoral

Committee will maintain an overview on parochial boundaries and

structures to enable mission to function as effectively as possible, within

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the constraints of resources and staffing. There needs to be an outline

plan, but sharing experiences, supporting others (including those less able

to pay) and praying for growth, are key ingredients.

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