St Gregory the Great, Rendlesham

“We are a living, lively church”

“ Help us build our church at the

heart of community.”

St Felix of Dunwich, Rendlesham St John the Baptist, Wantisden

Team Vicar in the Wilford Peninsula Team Ministry –

Rendlesham Cluster

PROFILE

St Edmund’s, Bromeswell

All Saints’, Eyke.

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CONTENTS

Page

1. Overview of the area and the Team Ministry 3

2. Introduction to the Rendlesham Cluster 6

3. Our villages – their localities and populations 7

4. Our church buildings 10

5. Strengths, opportunities and challenges 14

6. What are we looking for? what do we offer? 16

7. How we worship 18

8. Taizé worship 21

9. Youth, children, worship and pastoral care 22

10. The Ministry Team, Parochial Church Councils, supporting the church 24

11. Our mission and the Germinate initiative 25

12. The Vicarage 27

13. St Edmundsbury & Ipswich Diocese 28

Table 1: Existing pattern of services 31

Table 2: Parish statistics 32

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1. OVERVIEW OF THE AREA AND THE TEAM MINISTRY

Rendlesham Cluster is part of the Wilford Peninsula Team Ministry, which is the largest benefice in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich. The benefice is referred to as a Team Ministry throughout this profile. The Diocese is divided into Deaneries, overseen by two Archdeacons. Our Team Ministry, together with 5 other benefices which constitute the Woodbridge Deanery, lies in the eastern Archdeaconry of Suffolk.

The Team Ministry has 17 parishes and 18 church buildings, a population of 8,500 and covers an area some 10 miles by 14 miles.

Suffolk Coastal District Council is the local authority covering the area, almost all of which falls within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The landscape is coastline, sandlings, heath and woodland with gently rolling arable farmland.

Two former US Air Force bases - for Woodbridge and Rendlesham – have left legacies which have helped shape the present team ministry. Occupied during the Cold War, then abandoned, these now host varying sizes of housing developments, business premises and growing local communities.

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There are 6 primary schools across the team ministry – 3 state maintained (Rendlesham, Hollesley and Sutton Heath Sandlings) and 3 either voluntary aided or controlled by the Church of England (Bawdsey, Eyke and Orford). There is no secondary provision locally, most children moving on to state academies at Farlingaye High School in Woodbridge or Thomas Mills in Framlingham.

Primary medical care is provided by a group practice with branches in Orford and Alderton, and by another practice centred in neighbouring Wickham Market with a branch in Rendlesham. The nearest general hospital is in Ipswich. There are 2 care homes for elderly people, including frail elderly, in Rendlesham and in Hollesley.

There is light but no heavy industry. There are some large family farms, which offer permanent and seasonal employment and whose former patriarchy has left a legacy of pastoral care within the communities. Elsewhere housing developments and employment opportunities have drawn young families to the area, many of whom have not been brought up in the church tradition, creating a challenge towards mission, to engage those who may be new to church.

17 out of 18 churches have medieval origins and all have their tales to tell, of social and ecclesiastical history: a 6th century recanting of a new Christian faith, Domesday Book mentions, right up to the reconsecration of an American chapel.

The area attracts people for weekends and holidays and second homes have grown in number, their owners often later retiring here, bringing their professional interests and experience, and this pattern is reflected in the age profile.

Services are maintained in each church building at least twice a month, save one, which has become for practical purposes a ’festival church’.

Orford Church is closely linked to the Aldeburgh Music Festival and Snape Maltings and with its rich acoustic has become a favourite concert and recital venue. The installation of a 1976 Peter Collins organ, a gift to the church, has just been approved. Music is, unsurprisingly, much loved across the Team Ministry; there is an accomplished choir in the Orford Cluster and music groups in the other two Clusters, including singers and instrumentalists. A Team Ministry-wide Music Group is anticipated within the next twelve months.

The Team Rector (full time) is responsible for the parishes of the Orford Cluster – in Orford, Sudbourne, Butley, Chillesford, Iken and Tunstall. A full time Team Vicar is responsible for the parishes lower down the peninsula in the Hollesley Cluster – Boyton, Hollesley, Alderton, Bawdsey, Ramsholt, Shottisham and Sutton. The Team Vicar vacancy covers the parishes of the Rendlesham Cluster in Rendlesham, Eyke, Bromeswell and Wantsiden.

There is one Methodist church in the area (at Orford) and four Baptist/independent churches (Tunstall, Sudbourne, Bromeswell, Boyton). There is a small but growing amount of ecumenical work between the denominations including a popular Quayside service in the summer at Orford, which gives thanks and prays for fishermen, sailors and lifeguards. ‘Praise in the Park’ brings Church of England and Baptists together every June in the marquee at Jubilee Park, Rendlesham.

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The stipendiary Ministry Team is augmented by Readers, retired clergy as well as a Lay Pastor and Elders. There may be changes by 2023 when retirement may reduce the number of stipendiary clergy in the area.

Services are mixed in style, ranging from Book of Common Prayer (BCP), Common Worship (CW), Family@Church to informal services/gatherings. Compline and Taizé offer shorter, meditative services. And for children and youth there is ‘Open the Book’, after-school clubs and holiday clubs for younger children across the Team Ministry, and a café club for youth, teens and young adults run with a Christian ethos by EvnU and EvnUth.

The whole Team Ministry has since January 2018 been participating in the ‘Germinate’ project, which is organized through the Diocese, and is now embarking on its considered initiatives to grow the Church, responding to sociological and cultural change and in line with the overarching mission of ‘Growing in God’. The first priority is to develop communications across all parishes to consider possible benefits of interactive websites as well as co-ordinated leaflet dropping and use of poster displays to let our communities know what is taking place and invite them to participate.

“Our future is exciting”

“Community with God at its heart”

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2. INTRODUCTION TO THE RENDLESHAM CLUSTER

The Cluster covers about 15 square miles and extends along the A1152 from Bromeswell to Eyke, then to Rendlesham and beyond to take in Wantisden, which borders both Tunstall and Butley, on the south-east side of the Bentwaters US Air Force base. The road was designated an ‘A’ road to reflect the volumes of traffic when the airbase was in use. It marks the boundary of the AONB. The fast growing Rendlesham village is on the north-west side.

Bromeswell is just over 3 miles east of the market town of Woodbridge, which lies attractively on the River Deben and provides the nearest shopping, supermarket and leisure facilities. An hourly train service on the Lowestoft line, connects to Ipswich and the mainline service to London (80 minutes). Coming from Woodbridge the next station is Melton, a mile closer to Bromeswell. The bus service is hourly Monday to Saturday to Rendlesham and on towards Aldeburgh, and in the other direction through Woodbridge to Ipswich. Reliance on cars and sharing of transport has created a challenge to meet the reasonable needs of teenagers for out of school activities and clubs.

Other attractions include an award-winning gastro pub/restaurant ‘The Unruly Pig’. The well-loved ‘Elephant and Castle Inn’ in Eyke has been closed but people hope it will reopen soon. There are sporting opportunities here, at the Woodbridge Rugby Club, Woodbridge Golf Club, and Bromeswell Fishing Lakes. Sailing, walking, and bird-watching are all popular. Overlooking the River Deben and Woodbridge beyond is the Sutton Hoo site, owned and operated by the National Trust with the burial mounds of King Raedwald and his long ship, thought to have been buried early in the 7th century and excavated from 1939.

Rendlesham Hall, a former landmark at the edge of the village towards Tunstall, was demolished in 1949, with housing development now earmarked in the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan for some of its parkland. On the other side of the road the former airbase runs southeast into Rendlesham Forest, renowned for a reported sighting of an unidentified flying object (UFO) in 1980. The forest was devastated by the storm of October 1987, but has recovered well.

The boundaries of the Clusters have changed over time and whilst this has created the challenge of getting to know a new parish community, or, alternatively, a new Team Vicar, it has led to a certain disregard for barriers. Relatively small groups of disciples are increasingly willing to join together in worship and other activities. A strong team now exists to support the Team Vicar both in the organisation of church activities and in leading worship.

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3. OUR VILLAGES – THEIR LOCALITIES AND POPULATIONS

BROMESWELL

“An overall sense of prosperity without obvious affluence”

The village is close to Woodbridge yet spread out, and cherishes the rural heath and arable farmland as well as commanding views over the River Deben estuary, with access to sailing, fishing and golf. It extends half a mile or so from the A1152 to a picturesque centre around the church.

The population is around 320, older than the national and diocesan averages with fewer younger people. Housing is mostly detached and owner-occupied, beyond the means of younger families and most first time buyers. The village would like to see more social housing to help younger people stay close to where they were brought up, and prevent isolation and loneliness for both the younger and the older generations.

Scattered local businesses include a retail nursery, pig farm, timber merchant, cricket bat willow processor, and the award-winning ‘Unruly Pig’ on the main road.

The village hall is well used. There is regular keep fit, yoga, table tennis, kickboxing, badminton, body conditioning, scrabble, bowling and boules (and this may not be an exhaustive list!).

EYKE

‘Ike’ was associated with Staverton Forest and its ‘oak’ trees.

The village straddles the A1152, some 1.6 miles east of Bromeswell, and similar to Bromeswell in terms of its size, population, housing and age profile (see Table 2). This is a compact rural, predominantly farming community with a working farm in its midst. Some housing development is likely in the future.

Eyke Primary School (part of the Church-controlled St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi Academy Trust) is in the middle of the village with around 110 pupils, most though, coming from outside the village. The incoming Team Vicar is expected to be an ex-officio Governor. An active Pre-school is next to, and linked to, the School.

The Over50s Sunshine Club, yoga and Tai Chi classes meet in the thriving village hall. The village shop is busy. ‘The Elephant and Castle Inn’ has been closed since November 2017 following the sad death of both publicans within a month of each other: it is hoped to reopen soon.

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RENDLESHAM

“the legacy of a truly American community of airmen”

The parish of Rendlesham is part rural, and part urban, suburban or commuter belt, as its residents variously describe it. Some two and a half miles from Eyke, the road reaches a hamlet, with a string of some 10 to 15 houses, Friday Street, to the south/east, and to the north/west old agricultural cottages, a former schoolhouse, and a grade II listed manor house sit in farmland around the largest church for miles around, the ancient church of St Gregory the Great.

The centre of Rendlesham lies a mile or so further on, with the fast A1152 being the only road link between the two communities, although increasing integration belies this. It is a development of the Bentwaters American Airforce base, established in the 1940s as protection during the Cold War, and abandoned in 1993. Industrial units to the south/east have renewed life including film production and museum. Timber-framed American residences on the north/west side, for families and single units, have been retained. Extensive development has taken place in blocks including family accommodation of varying sizes up to detached 6 bedroom. A ‘garden village’ of detached houses surrounds the Maharishi Peace Palace, a retreat centre for transcendental meditation, with which good relations have been established. A small amount of affordable housing is managed by a local housing association. The Rendlesham Neighbourhood Plan of 2015 identified a shortage of affordable homes, sheltered accommodation and homes for single people and the Suffolk Coastal First Draft Local Plan to 2036 is likely to confirm provision for housing development in the locality.

Rendlesham Care Home has places for 60 elderly people including those with dementia care needs. In the centre of the village, where American community buildings once stood, there is now a green with playground facilities, with, to one side is a single storey community centre, where yoga, sewing group, over 60s and other activities take place. There is a general store with post office, a Chinese ‘take-away’ and a fledgling but popular cafébar ‘Boardwalk’. A veterinary surgery is also located here. The Church of St Felix lies across the green with modest car-parking. Medical centre, pharmacy, dentist and children’s day nursery are at the edge of the village, where, returning to the main road, light industrial units run back along the road towards St Gregory’s.

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The latest population estimate (mid 2016) for the ward of Rendlesham is 3160. The profile is predominantly one of young families. Compared with the England average there is a greater proportion of children (17 years and under), a smaller proportion up to age 30, and thereby fewer students, more in the 30 to 44 age group before tapering away with fewer than average in the older, retired, years. There are fewer single people than average, of whatever age. (See Table 2 on Parish statistics.) The housing profile is one of predominantly owner occupation in purpose-designed homes, with high car ownership. There were 1311 households in 2011. 8% were lone parent, mostly women. This is not an area of second homes. 84% of men and over 70% of women in the 16 to 74 year age group are economically active and better qualified overall than average. More than average are employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing, and fewer than average in professional, scientific and technical, and construction and manufacturing roles. More than average work in public administration and support roles, in skilled trade, and in caring, leisure and other service occupations (e.g. Care Home employment) but differences with national averages are small. Unemployment levels, including long term unemployment, are relatively low. Health is relatively good, particularly for children. Whilst the vast majority (95%) of the population is white British, recent years have seen migrants from Eastern Europe coming to East Anglia, who have found work, some but not all of which is seasonal and some families have stayed. All have been welcomed by the church. Whilst the neighbourhood profile is generally of a healthy, reasonably well-off community, the church family is aware of the poor, the unemployed, those families who are in debt, those needing regular food parcels, the sick, and the lonely. Support is offered and referrals made to other organisations as appropriate.

WANTISDEN

‘No discernible village now remains.’

The Domesday Book has a mention for Wantisden, but since then plague, the Second World War and the construction of the Bentwaters Cold War air base have taken their toll. A river ‘Bent Water’ was redirected, cottages demolished and families moved. The 2011 census records 14 houses and a population of 30, which includes a large established and prosperous farm and its buildings. The population increases from sowing to harvesting with the employment and accommodation of casual farm workers, many of whom come from Eastern Europe.

The parish lies between Butley and Tunstall, ten minutes by car (4.6 miles) from the Vicarage.

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4. OUR CHURCH BUILDINGS

St Edmund’s, Bromeswell

“Small, yet cared for”.

The Grade I listed Norman church building is dedicated to St Edmund, who was crowned king of East Anglia in 836. The nave is 10th century, the tower added in the 14th Century tower is visible from a distance, pews were installed in the 15th century and the chancel added in the 19th century, with its vestry in 1985 thanks to a legacy and providing a small meeting room, toilet and kitchenette. The building is structurally sound, with efficient heating and lighting. There is no parking although residents of the adjacent St Edmund’s Close are forbearing.

All Saints’, Eyke

“A bell, but no bell tower!”

The church is in the centre of the village and is dedicated to All the Saints. It is a modestly sized medieval building, cruciform in shape with Norman arches. Between 60 and 80 are seated comfortably. The chancel has strong supportive arches on each side to support the bell tower, which allegedly came down in the 16th or 17th century, but there is no record at all! Featured in the 2014 Diocesan publication to celebrate "100 Years, 100 Treasures” the church is admired for its stained glass including of St Bridget feeding the beggars, bench ends of pet dog, squirrel and penguin, and history notes that a family dynasty of vicars was responsible for the Anglican revival in this parish. The church treasure is a 15th century key with its wards, or obstructions, shaped to make the word ‘IKE’: this is now in the British Museum, the lock has been changed and a fibre-glass copy hangs on the wall.

There are no facilities within the church: toilet and kitchenette are in the village hall, opposite.

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St Gregory the Great, Rendlesham

“On the site of a pagan temple, thanks maybe to Raedwald’s wife”

The largest church in the Cluster, St Gregory’s is believed to have been built on the site of an Anglo-Saxon pagan temple. According to the Venerable Bede, King Raedwald ruled Anglo-Saxon East Angles from his palace and estate in Rendlesham. Raedwald was converted to Christianity by Augustine, sent by Pope Gregory (the Great) at the end of the 6th century, but is believed to have recanted in deference to his pagan wife. Archaeological findings are bearing out this history and the possibility that King Raedwald’s body may have been taken by ship directly up the River Deben to his burial place at Sutton Hoo. Raedwald gives his name to the Music Co-ordinator’s composition of the Gloria.

The chancel has important 19th century stone memorials. Local people take pride in this history and have raised over

£50,000 towards a programme of repair and restoration. The nave roof has been repaired and replaced where necessary thanks to a roof grant and the building is now watertight. Parts of the rendering have been replaced and internal repair and redecoration has just been completed. Generous donations over the last six years bring total capital expenditure up to around £70,000.00. Whilst further stages of restoration are hoped for it is nevertheless considered that St Gregory’s will be fit for the foreseeable future.

The acoustic in the church is excellent and it is in demand now once or twice a year for concerts. Its scale and stillness make it the perfect setting for monthly Taizé worship.

The churchyard and burial ground are well kept. There are no facilities in the church - but this does not stop a convivial offer of coffee at the end of morning service.

“The visitor book fills with new names from far and wide”.

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St Felix of Dunwich, Rendlesham

“introducing Christianity to the kingdom of East Anglia”

A protestant (Lutheran) chapel was provided in utilitarian style for the American airforce. The building was abandoned when the base was closed in 1993. In 2000 it was bought by the Church of England, reconsecrated and dedicated to St Felix of Dunwich, giving it a new local identity chosen with local people. Felix had come from France and was the first Bishop of ‘East Angles’ at Dommoc (Dunwich) from 630CE and from there he set about missionary ‘delivering, (East Anglia) from long-standing unrighteousness and unhappiness.’ Augustine was the other contender for dedication: this is reflected in the church’s missionary impulse, now, to go out and make a difference to people’s economic wellbeing and spiritual lives.

The building has remained in a good state of repair. A newly carved wooden cross has been affixed to the roof. The original American oak pews have been retained, with seating now for some 110. A damaged pew was crafted into a font by a local carpenter and this sits at the front of the church near the altar. An old extension was demolished when the vicarage was built and a new office, vestry/meeting room and toilets provided. At the opposite end pews have been removed to provide a servery with kitchenette and open area, which has sofas, as well as variously sized tables and chairs, some to put away, and so is ideal for children’s activities during morning service, for pastoral care, for Wriggly Worship, for small group meetings, Café Respect (see below) and for church lunches and suppers.

The main body of the church is carpeted and centrally heated. A banner over the west door has the names embroidered of all 17 parishes in the benefice, and a complementary hanging over the simple wooden altar is reminiscent of stained glass in the colours (intentionally or otherwise) of the ecclesiastical year. The church is well lit, with sound system and electronic keyboard and an assortment of microphones. There is overhead projection. The church is an attractive venue for meetings, Lent courses and the like, across both the Cluster and the Team Ministry.

The church sits in its own garden grounds. There is no burial ground.

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St John the Baptist, Wantisden

“simply a gem”

The history of the dedication to St John the Baptist is unknown and the church, now that the Americans have gone and the scream of jets silenced, stands quiet, isolated, arable farmland on three sides, the perimeter fence of Bentwaters on the other, half a mile off the road.

The church is Grade I listed, built of flint and stone in the 12th century. Human heads are carved on the south door, the font has scalloped decoration, there are paint traces of frescoes on the north wall. A bell tower was added in the 15th century. It is one of only two churches in the country built using coralline crag, the other less than a mile away in Chillesford.

Simple and unadorned, with no electricity or any other utility, the atmosphere is deeply prayerful and connects today’s congregations to earlier generations who have worshipped here over the centuries. It is cherished as a gem.

The churchyard is extensive. Many 18th century gravestones can still be identified.

Despite its age and cracks in the walls resulting from tank exercises during the last war, the building is in a good condition, the roof having had major repairs in 2017.

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5. STRENGTHS, OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Strengths to build on

For children and youth:

• St Felix, Rendlesham: Wriggly Worship, after school club, ‘Fun at St Felix’

• St Gregory, Rendlesham: biannual services for scouts and cubs

• Eyke: the relationship between the school and the church

• EvnU and EvnUth and Café Respect

For adults:

• Tradition, BCP

• More contemporary approach/music

• Meditative Taizé

Church buildings:

• History and scale of St Gregory’s, first stage restoration now funded

• ‘Festival’ church at St John’s, Wantisden

• Well proportioned and well maintained St Edmund’s, Bromeswell and All Saints’, Eyke

• A modern well-situated, well-resourced and multi-purpose St Felix

Relationships:

• Good – with each other, with Parish Councils, schools, local businesses

Opportunities and challenges

Challenges in Rendlesham village:

• Huge potential for mission at St Felix, in the heart of the growing village

• With young families

• Exploring ways to reach those not brought up with church

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Opportunity for worship:

• To perhaps make St Felix more charismatic again, to attract people to worship in their own community

• Develop music initiative to grow the choir, introduce variety of instruments

For pastoral care:

• With a strengthened Mothers’ Union

• For one parent families

• For long-standing church members who need support

For the Care Centre:

• More care, more worship in one of only 2 care homes in the area

Towards closer co-operation between parishes

• Building on the alternating services initiative to strengthen congregations

• improve communications through the Team Ministry’s Focus Group initiative and sharing all/part of parish magazine.

Towards growing deeper in faith:

• invite participation in Bible Study/Home Groups

Using everyone’s talents:

• build the team, with the Reader and the Elders, and the PCCs and delegate to all those who can and want to help

Widen the focus:

• To develop existing ecumenical work with Baptist and independent churches

• To promote engagement with the whole mission of God’s people in the Team Ministry and towards adjoining parishes in the Woodbridge Deanery.

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6. WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR? WHAT DO WE OFFER?

What are we looking for in our new Team Vicar?

Spirituality

• Prayerful and gifted with the Spirit

• Giving of time to the spiritual leadership of each church

Personality

• Enthusiastic, outgoing, happy to be seen in the parishes and involved in community events

• Stable, perceptive, and discerning

• Will follow through and drive forward shared vision for the future

• Will support fundraising and grant applications

• Ability to relate to those who do not come to church

• Good with children and young people

• Committed to collaborative ministry, to encourage and challenge us

Skills • Strong leader who can and will delegate

• Good communicator within and between parishes

• Good preacher and teacher

• Can preach to encourage generous giving

• Up-to-date IT skills to use modern media

• Chairmanship and managing a meeting

We seek someone who can engage with history to forge a future for St John’s, Wantisden, who acknowledges the historic past and significance of contemporary discoveries around St Gregory’s, who respects the traditions of the congregations of the smaller villages…

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whilst at the same time developing a shared vision for St Felix, with perhaps a more

radical pattern of worship, to stimulate growth, with the support of both older and

younger age groups.

What do we have to offer?

• Commitment and enthusiasm to serve God in the community

• Welcoming and supportive PCCs, churchwardens and the whole church family

• Reader and 5 Elders to work with

• Modern vicarage next to St Felix, Rendlesham

• 4 ancient churches with their civil and ecclesiastical history

• Modern, flexible building at St Felix

• A range of traditional and modern worship styles with scope for more

• Beautiful rural environment with heathland, coastline, sailing, fishing, golf, walks

• Music and Snape Maltings

• Schools and activities for young people and children

• Easy access to London by road and rail

“We are a living church with an exciting future”

“ Help us build our church at the spiritual heart of community”

“love us, pray for and with us”

“encourage and lead us in our Christian journeys”

“help us to explore and expand our ministry”

“Someone to seek out more opportunities than we see here, and seize them”

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7. HOW WE WORSHIP

“we love the traditional hymns”

“we are open to trying new forms of worship with contemporary songs”

On the whole, the smaller villages prefer a traditional style of worship. The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is followed at one service, held monthly, across the Cluster. Most services are from Common Worship (CW), with formats altered sometimes and reproduced for the particular church to simplify and to reflect local preferences, always within the bounds of what is permissible by canon law. This equally applies to Holy Communion at St Felix. (See Table 1. Pattern of services.)

The smaller villages use Hymns Ancient and Modern (New Standard). Each church has one or more loyal and able organists. St John’s relies on a battery-run electric organ but this serves its purpose well.

St Gregory’s and All Saints, Eyke, have worked together to alternate their services and this works. St Edmunds, Bromeswell, retains a service every Sunday.

St Felix has a younger demographic and the church aims to respond to this, in its monthly themed rendlesham@church followed by shared lunch (rendlesham@lunch) as well as at Holy Communion. The Music Co-ordinator may compose for services, for example the Raedwald

Gloria, play keyboard or piano with viola, or other instrumentalists, particularly at festivals. A choir now enhances the music at the rotated 5th Sunday services and at all festivals or special occasions. Contemporary songs include what are now considered by the youth to be old favourites, such as ‘Vagabonds’ by Stuart Townend.

Informal worship on the 1st Sunday, led by the Reader who leads the local youth groups (See ‘Youth, children, worship and pastoral

care’ Section 6) uses no Order of service, relying on overhead projection of words and videos. Hillsong worship and Irish worship band ‘Rend Collective’ are popular as the experiences of ‘Soul Survivor’ and ‘Big Church Day Out’ are brought back into church.

The style at St Felix, whilst ‘freer’, used to be described as charismatic and some would like to see a gentle return to such a style. Others prefer a more restrained approach. There is potential for discerning the identity of this congregation and the way ahead.

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St Felix offers activities for the 8 to 10 children who attend regular worship and some would like to see greater integration of children’s activities. The church is looking for someone to fill a gap in leading children’s teaching.

EvnU takes ‘Open the Book’ into all the local Church of England primary schools, therefore including Eyke (Multi Academy Trust) School, and seeking to develop a closer relationship with the state school in Rendlesham. A close relationship with Eyke School is fostered by one of the governors who is a Parochial Church Council (PCC) member. Children attend weekly and end of term services at the village’s All Saints’ Church.

Wriggly Worship takes place weekly in St Felix where around 7 tots come with their mothers/principal carers for songs, snacks and a story with an Elder and this is successful.

Daily Morning Prayer takes place at one of the churches.

Just as the Ministry Team will take worship into school, so a monthly service is held at Rendlesham Care Home. This may be led by an Elder. Home communion is given to those requesting it.

There is a monthly mid week Holy Communion, which is popular, attracting those who may find it difficult to attend church on a Sunday.

Whilst regular attendance varies from 10 to 25, many more people come to church for festivals. (See Table 2 on Parish statistics.)

There is just one Remembrance service across the Cluster, last year at All Saints, Eyke, with schoolchildren, scouts and cubs. Otherwise each church will have its own worship at festivals. St John’s, Wantisden, aims to hold 6 services a year, including at least one Holy Communion. Rogation here is a favourite where the farmer has provided tractor and trailer to transport the congregation around the fields as crops are blessed. Evensong is the popular format at St John’s, attracting around 20 when the weather is good and before the evening chill descends, yet cold and snow do not deter a strong attendance at the annual carol service. The patronal service in midsummer is followed by a picnic in the grounds, attended year on year by a loyal group of people who moved from the area to

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Ipswich, and who now form the Friends of the church. Harvest sees the church decorated in keeping, with potatoes, onions and purple Michaelmas daisies. The other parishes each have a Harvest Festival service with ‘Harvest supper’. Last year’s services asked how many words could be made from the letters of ‘Harvest’ and it was astonishing how many had to do with hunger and need. Last year St John’s Christmas service was carols aimed at youth: 35 came, in awe of the past reflected in the walls of the church, visible only by the light of their candles.

Christmas is also a highlight for St Edmund’s, Bromeswell, whose candlelit service attracts around 150. All Saints’, Eyke, has a Christmas Tree service at the beginning of December and a Crib service on Christmas Eve. The ‘Nativity from Scratch’ at St Felix involves all ages and is a popular fixture.

Each church will have at least one service at Easter, All Saints has Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Last year a ‘walk of witness’ from one church to the next carrying a large wooden cross of Jesus, drew a following despite wet weather.

Weddings are a great joy when they occur. Baptisms are more frequent in Rendlesham than

elsewhere and parents are drawn to the ancient atmosphere of St Gregory’s for the sacrament. Families who attend St Felix regularly have had their child baptised within a Holy Communion service, and the church was full.

All churchyards are open for burials, save St Felix, which has no burial ground.

Rendlesham churches organise collaborative worship with the Baptist churches in Sudbourne and Tunstall with joint events at Christmas and Praise in the Park in midsummer.

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8. TAIZÉ WORSHIP

“Meditative singing is another way of listening to God”

It was in 1991 that a Taizé service began to be held at St Gregory’s, once a month, in the evening at 6.30pm in the winter, 7.30pm in the summer, in the chancel. Pews line the walls, the roof far above. Tea lights glow all around, on the altar, the altar rail and the floor, amidst the cushions of the under twenties. The light reflects off the dusky plaster and the stone memorials. The service is put together by the parish’s Music Co-ordinator following the lectionary readings. The chants are led on the keyboard and accompanied sometimes by viola/violin and a flautist. A cantor part is sung by male or female with confident voice. The chants are interwoven with silence, with prayer. People come from Campsea Ashe, from Orford, Woodbridge, Ipswich and other parts of Suffolk. This is the only service of its kind for miles around. A couple of regular attendees stay a week in the summer at the French community, and have been doing so for years. The tradition grows stronger and the relationship with France closer. Numbers have grown, up to 20 to 25. We will make sure that the heart of calm is not diminished.

“The atmosphere in the ancient church lends itself to this type of worship and it meets the need and growing desire for quieter, more meditative services.”

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9. YOUTH, CHILDREN, WORSHIP AND PASTORAL CARE

“Potential for this kind of mission work, is huge, and exciting”

Enabling kids to shine

EvnU is pronounced ‘Even You’ - God welcomes everyone without exception. EvnUth (‘Even Youth’) is for young people at high school and older. The ethos is for today, the Christian revival is now:

“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.

It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in

the Badlands”. Isaiah 43:19

EvnU seeks to serve God where he is working and ask Him to encourage our pastoral care and bless our work in that place. Formed in 2013 to bring the good news to children and young people across the Wilford Peninsula, the charity works closely with the Church of England, yet is not intentionally denominational.

It works with 5 of the 6 local primary schools, to present ‘Open the Book’ Bible teaching, to lead collective worship and relevant Christian teaching and to teach year groups to run their own collective worship sessions. ‘Awesome Assembly’ takes place weekly at All Saints’ Church for Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils alternately from Eyke School. There is no structured work with Rendlesham School, yet a close relationship has been fostered and is maintained.

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After-School clubs in Hollesley, Rendlesham and Eyke take place each week in term time. Holiday Clubs and ‘Fun at St Felix’ are run in the Easter and Summer holidays. Youth worship events take place in St John’s and St Felix Churches and children’s events in St Gregory’s, including particularly to celebrate Christmas and Suffolk Day.

The monthly EvnUth Worship is a vision and sound experience with café, no formality, and all the liturgy and message which is presented, is from

YouTube.

Youth work includes attendance at ‘Big Church Day Out’ and ‘Soul Survivor’ festivals, concerts and other big events, encouraging as many as possible to come along and have fun with God.

Work in St Felix includes the very popular drop-in youth ‘Cafe Respect’, founded in 2012 and taking place every Friday in term-time from 7 - 10 pm for those aged 13 and older. Three rules apply, Respect each other, Respect our neighbours, Respect our Christian Values. As many as 100 young people have ‘dropped in’ and attendance still averages 35 each week café is open – it could be open all year round with more staff!

Potential for this kind of mission work is huge, and exciting: there is rarely a dull moment, volunteers are always needed, age no constraint with a current range 80 to 15 years old.

The leader is professionally qualified in Youth and Community work. A pioneer evangelist at heart he spearheaded the formation of the charity in 2013 and was licensed as a Reader in 2015. Four Trustees are accountable for the work of the charity. No-one is waged. One trainee youth worker is now following YMCA Level 3 training and the hope is that funds become available to allow her a salary, otherwise she may inevitably move on. She was baptised last year by full immersion in a paddling pool inside St Bartholomew’s Church in Orford and this lingers in local memories. Bishop

Martin, who administered the sacrament and went on to confirm this young lady and her friend the same day, is a strong supporter of EvnU, as is Bishop Mike, and their encouragement is greatly appreciated. See website www.evnu.uk

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10. THE MINISTRY TEAM, PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCILS:

SUPPORTING THE CHURCH

The incoming Team Vicar will be a member of the Ministry Team: led by the Rector David Murdoch, with full time Team Vicar Ruth Hatchett. The team meets weekly. A whole Team Ministry service takes place 3 times a year in which all local ministers participate. There is one Reader in the Cluster and two in other parishes: all are licensed to the whole Team Ministry.

Elders support the Ministry Team within their own parishes. There are 5 Elders in the Rendlesham Cluster and between them they ensure support to each of the 5 churches and their worship. Retired clergy assist right across the Team Ministry for which we are grateful.

Each parish has a Parochial Church Council (PCC), i.e. 17 in all. Their numbers vary, from around 7 within the Cluster, yet all roles of Secretary and Treasurer are filled as well as Churchwardens.

The PCCs keep up with all contemporary requirements such as to review their insurance policies for best value, to consider the Diocesan supported Parish Giving Scheme, and all PCC members are trained to the appropriate level in safeguarding.

There are rotas for flowers in church, for unlocking and locking the church door to ensure daily access for visitors, there are volunteer rotas and groups for weekly or annual cleaning and polishing of pews and silverware inside the church, and for churchyard tidying and grass-cutting. The farmer takes care of grass-cutting for St John’s, Wantisden. St Edmund’s, Bromeswell, pays a gardener, whilst St Gregory’s is grateful for generous annual funding from the Parish Council. Not all these supporters attend worship and their loyalty is greatly appreciated.

The Cluster churches like all across the country, have to work hard to raise funds to meet their annual parish share and for any capital projects. The latter may attract grants as St Gregory’s has achieved, the former rarely so. Each of the 4 parishes has met its parish share for 2017 and this amounts to £46,850 in total (see Table 2 on Parish statistics). Some parishes may struggle to achieve their respective targets for 2018.

St Edmund’s and St John’s have Friends to help with fundraising, including monthly coffee mornings in Bromeswell. Each parish has a magazine e.g. Bromeswell Warbler. All Saints’ holds 2 major fundraising events in Eyke each year, a spring and a Harvest supper, both in the village hall. The Christmas Tree Festival raises funds for a local charity. The village holds an annual Summer Fete with proceeds shared between the church and the village hall. ‘Eyke Charities’ organises and gives gifts at Christmas to those in need and books to primary school leavers. The Mothers’ Union in Rendlesham will similarly raise funds and make up food parcels and Christmas gifts for those in need. Both the Passover Supper and Harvest Supper at St Felix will raise funds, from a congregation which is not obviously wealthy and where £24,000 is required each year, with St Gregory’s, in parish share.

“It is a privilege to be a part of the team serving here.”

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11. OUR MISSION AND THE GERMINATE INITIATIVE

“a thriving congregation”

The Team Ministry has worked as hard as it has been able to in response ‘Growing in God’. Building proposals around the 5 marks of mission, PCCs have developed their ideas and plans choosing one of the themes - growing in number, growing younger, growing in depth and growing in influence.

There have been successes. All Saints’, Eyke, achieved its place in the Diocesan centenary book of churches to visit. Rendlesham has established a website for both churches: ”One church, two buildings, one community”. Both initiatives allow the churches and their activities to have wider influence and to draw in younger people.

St Felix has engaged with its younger, youth population both through EvnU and EvnUth and in how it has put together its services to appeal to younger age groups. Families attend church, small children sit through the service with drawings to fit the theme and to show the congregation at the end.

The smaller villages have perhaps found it less easy to attract a younger congregation.

Nevertheless, they thrive, as St Gregory’s reports. As archeological discovery gives colour to the history of the church, its fabric is restored and its services developed to make the most of its atmosphere, so the church has gained in influence and in depth.

St John’s, Wantisden, devotes care and commitment to its festivals and pilgrims deeply appreciate what has gone before.

St Felix has a range of initiatives from Mothers’ Union, whose activities foster pastoral care, including at Rendlesham Care Centre where they meet monthly, to the published ‘Pilgrimage Walks’ which walks are also ealize d two or three times a year including the Good Friday Pilgrimage – these activities involving youth who both are and are not members of the church community.

This, however, is not enough. The Team Ministry has responded to the invitation to join the Diocesan ‘Germinate’ Project. The Team Ministry is large. Groups from other benefices at the first Germinate weekend in January 2018 were astonished at the number of parishes, all managed by just three ordained priests.

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We have taken stock. We have agreed on a gentle approach to seek to sustain and build on what we have. We have run a facilitated Away Day to establish strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and challenges.

Our plan for the next five years, put together at the second weekend in early June 2018, starts with a Communications Focus Group to pool resources across the Team, develop one or more interactive websites, produce posters and leaflets and be able to distribute these electronically such that they are easily identified as coming from the church, to advertise, or market what we have to offer by way of worship, prayer, quiet, home groups, fellowship – to augment what our three parish magazines and pew-sheets can achieve, and

so grow discipleship, to serve in the Kingdom. Other ideas are to develop Messy Church for children, including at St Felix to integrate the children better into the regular services whilst teaching them appropriately, and to acknowledge the beauty of our environment and identify areas of churchyards for wildlife, wild flowers and the beauty of Creation.

Our second big idea is to bring together all those whose love is music, to co-ordinate

better our music initiatives and to share expertise of choirmasters and musicians across all three Clusters. The new organ in Orford may have a part to play in this. We want to strengthen our link with Taizé in Burgundy. We’ll have to see whether the young people’s love of Irish worship band ‘Rend Collective’ may catch on!

“We are one Church: we can see this: we can do this better….. with some help”

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12. THE VICARAGE

The vicarage is located next to St Felix Church in Rendlesham. It is a modern detached house, built in 2005 to Green Guide standards, as Rendlesham began to grow and the need was acknowledged.

Built in the style of the surrounding estate and similar to some other properties close by, it has a large garden, which was well tended by the retiring Team Vicar and her family. There is a double garage and off-street parking for two cars. Solar panels help to keep utility bills low. The kitchen is substantial and well fitted. There are three reception rooms downstairs – one as a study, with cloakroom and accessible toilet. Upstairs there are 4 bedrooms, one with ensuite bathroom, a boxroom, separate toilet and family bathroom.

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13. ST EDMUNDSBURY & IPSWICH DIOCESE

The Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich was founded in 1914. It covers the county of Suffolk, except for an area to the north-east around Lowestoft, and one parish in the county of Essex. It serves about 631,000 people living in a geographical area of more than 1,400 square miles. Out of this population, around 20,000 identify themselves with the Church of England by being members of the church electoral roll. An average of over 14,000 attend Anglican church activities weekly (20,000 including other Christian denominations). Over 12,000 attend an Anglican service of worship each Sunday (18,000 including all denominations). Communities range from small rural villages to urban centres including the county town of Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, Haverhill, Sudbury and Beccles. The region has many historic places including Sutton Hoo, the Saxon village at West Stow and the ruins of the old Abbey at Bury St Edmunds – famously where, in 1214, the barons of England met and swore to force King John to accept the Charter of Liberties, later known as the Magna Carta. The whole county, with its Heritage coastline, is also a haven for lovers of natural history and bird life. The A14 provides rapid access from Felixstowe, one of the largest container ports in Europe, across the county to the A1 and the Midlands. The A12 links London with the county through to Lowestoft, and the train connection from Ipswich to London Liverpool Street takes just over one hour. Oversight and Mission The Diocese is overseen by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, the Right Reverend Martin Seeley supported by the Bishop of Dunwich, the Right Reverend Dr Mike Harrison. The Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund, the mother church of the Diocese, has been a place of pilgrimage and tourism for centuries and remains today a focal point for the Christian faith in Suffolk. The communities of the Diocese are served by 454 parishes with 125 Benefices and 18 Deaneries. There are 478 church buildings of which 457 are listed. There are around 118 stipendiary clergy and 44 self-supporting ministers, some 180 Lay Licensed Ministers, including 172 Readers and a few Licensed Lay Pastors and Local Evangelists and 570 commissioned lay assistants (Lay Elders) in the parishes. There are 88 Church of England Controlled and Aided schools in the Diocese. The Anglican churches across the Diocese seek to develop close links with other Christian denominations and to build understanding with members of other faiths. The Diocese also has close ties with churches across the world, most especially with the Diocese of Kagera in West Tanzania.

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Administration Working through synodical structures, the Diocese is served by a small team of office staff led by the Diocesan Secretary, most of whom are based in modern offices in the centre of Ipswich. The annual revenue budget of the Diocese is in excess of £8 million and the Diocesan Board of Finance manages a total balance sheet of £80 million. The staff provide administrative, financial, secretarial, property, communication and general support to clergy and parishes as well as supporting the Church of England schools across the county. Mission and Pastoral Policy We seek to live by the Five Marks of Mission of the Anglican Communion:

• To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom

• To teach, baptize and nurture new believers

• To respond to human need by loving service

• To seek to transform unjust structures of society

• To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth

The Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee works to policies approved by the Diocesan Synod which seeks to encourage Church growth and allocate resources across the Diocese in order to provide leadership in mission and ministry in all its communities. The policies encourage collaboration and the Diocese and/or region provides training and support for local and licensed ministries, ordained and lay. Vocation to a whole range of ministries, formal and informal, ordained and lay, is encouraged and nurtured. ‘Growing in God’, the Diocesan Vision for Growth encourages individuals and church communities across the Diocese to become more engaged in God’s loving involvement in the world. The report on which it is based was accepted by the Diocesan Synod in June 2014, and sets out four priorities for growth:

• Growing in Depth: responding to the call of Christ in every part of our lives

• Growing in Number: drawing the contacts we have into the life of God’s kingdom

• Growing in Influence: reaching beyond ourselves in our impact on the wider world

• Growing Younger: building churches whose age-range reflects our communities.

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Growing in God | Celebrating Reflecting Planning – How are you planning for Growth? Is a Mission Action Planning tool that has been developed to be used every three years commencing autumn 2015. This repeated pattern aims to assist benefice and parishes to develop a growth plan and ealize the Diocesan vision by:

• Celebrating the signs of God’s presence in your church and wider community

• Reflecting on what is already happening in your church community

• Planning ways in which you can strengthen and build on what you are already doing in the name of Christ.

Each benefice uses this tool differently according to its circumstances and context, applying it to individual parishes or more widely as a benefice, as appropriate. This will support benefices and parishes to clarify their vision and purpose by identifying three agreed actions to further their particular calling and report these to Director of Mission & Ministry. The process is supported by Growing in God Roadshows every three years. A new priest would be expected to continue or start this on-going process of celebrating, reflecting and planning both within the benefice and in partnership more widely in the Deanery and Diocese. The full Growing in God report and other resources are available in the Mission & Outreach section of the Diocesan website www.cofesuffolk.org. Centenary Share Centenary share enables all the people of the parishes to contribute towards costs, with a priority of maintaining mission and ministry across the whole Diocese. Financial difficulties may arise in parishes, but the expectation is that they meet the parish share in full, and realistic and sacrificial giving is encouraged by upholding, teaching and preaching this Gospel.

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Table 1. Rendlesham Cluster – Existing pattern of services

CW Common Worship, BCP Book of Common Prayer

Day in Month

St Edmund’s, Bromeswell

All Saints’, Eyke

St Gregory’s, Rendlesham

St Felix, Rendlesham

St John the Baptist, Wantisden

1st Sunday 11.00am Holy Communion (CW)

09.00am Holy Communion (CW)

11.00am informal family worship (Reader led)

No Regular Weekly Services: aim to hold 6 services a year, including at least one Holy Communion

2nd Sunday

09.00am Morning Prayer (BCP) (Elder led)

09.00am Holy Communion (CW)

11.00am Holy Communion (CW)

3rd Sunday

09.00am Holy Communion (CW)

09.00am Morning Prayer (CW) (Elder led)

11.00am Family@Church

4th Sunday

11.00am Morning Praise (Elder led)

09.00am Morning Praise (CW) (Elder led) 18.30pm (19.30) Taize (Reader led)

11.00am Holy Communion (CW) with anointing

5th Sunday

10.00am Cluster Holy Communion (CW) in rotation

Midweek

08.00am Mon-Fri: Morning Prayer 10.30am Tues: Wriggly Worship 10.00am 1st Wed: Holy Communion (CW)

Baptisms 1 2 2 6 Last in 2010/11

Weddings 0 0 1 0 Last in 2010/11

Funerals 3 7 1 4 Last in 2015

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Table 2. Rendlesham Cluster - Parish statistics

Statistics Bromeswell Eyke Rendlesham Wantisden

St. Gregory’s St. Felix

Parish population

314

350 3160 30

% aged 65 and over

22% (16%)

22% (16%) 13% (16%) 18% (16%)

% aged 17 and under

19% (21%)

20% (21%) 23% (21%) 19% (21%)

Parish electoral roll

18 23

60 7

Average church attendance

12-15 10-20 15-20 20 10 (lowest)

Attendance for ’best’ festival

150 100 -150 45 72 35-48

Parish share 2017 (paid in full)

£10,000 £12,600 £23,950 £300

Parish share 2018

£10,100 £12,726 £24,050 £600

Notes 1. Population statistics for Bromeswell, Eyke and Wantisden (part wards) are from Church of England parish dashboards, which are parish figures from the 2011 census. These are the latest figures available at parish level. 2. Rendlesham covers a whole ward with a boundary change is 2014 which reduced it in size and population. 3160 is the latest mid-year ‘small area’ population estimate, for mid 2016, published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) October 2017. 3. Age group percentages in brackets are national averages 2011. 4. Local health data drawn upon in the description of Rendlesham population (Section 2), is from Public Health England, much of which covers years 2011 to 2015/16. 5. Service attendance figures are contemporary, from parish service registers.

The quotations in the text are from the many local people who have contributed to the compilation of this profile.

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