archdeaconry of bath ven andy piggott, archdeacon ... parish... · archdeaconry of bath – ven...

Archdeaconry of Bath – Ven Andy Piggott, Archdeacon

Portishead Deanery – Rev Noel Hector, Rural Dean

Team Rector - Parish of Portishead

Parish Weekend at Brunel Manor (Torquay) Summer 2015

Portishead Parish Profile New Team Rector November, 2015

PARISH PROFILE for our new

TEAM RECTOR

AN INVITATION

Welcome to this introduction to our friendly and active parish.

We believe God is calling us to be a growing,

Christ-shaped, pilgrim community, inclusive of all with a bias to the vulnerable.

We are seeking

an inspiring and collaborative leader to join our two team vicars

and to guide our whole serving community.

Whether or not you decide to follow up your interest in this vacancy,

please join your prayers with ours that the Lord will lead us to make an appointment

which will further His purposes for us and through us.

Tricia Margerison & Pearl Walker Churchwardens of Portishead Parish


BANNER AT ST PETER’S CHURCH

PORTISHEAD WEDDING FAYRE CHRISTMAS FAIR

Contents

INVITATION …………………………………………………………….........… 2

OVERVIEW ……………………………………………………………............. 4

OUR VISION ..……………………………………………………...........…… 5

OUR PARISH …………………………………………………………...........… 5

The Portishead Team …………………………………........… 5

Worship, Mission and Pastoral ……………………........… 7

Finance ……………………………………………………….......... 10

PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR OUR NEW TEAM RECTOR ...... 11

ROLE DESCRIPTION FOR OUR NEW TEAM RECTOR ........…… 12

CHURCH BUILDINGS ……………………………………………..........… 14

THE RECTORY ……………..........………………………………........…… 15

OUR COMMUNITY ……………………………………………………........ 15

History and Development........................................ 15

Life in Portishead...................................................... 16

A Community of Activists......................................... 17

The High Street......................................................... 17

Schools & Health...................................................... 18

CHALLENGES ……………………………………………………….........….. 19

CONTACTS & RECRUITMENT TIME TABLE ………….........…... 19


OVERVIEW Portishead is on the coast of North Somerset, ten miles west of Bristol, and 3 miles from Junction 19 of the M5. The population is around 28,000, having grown very rapidly over the last twenty years. A quiet backwater village with a harbour has become a prosperous and lively town with a strong taste for collective action and a thriving marina. Local employment is strong. The Avon &

Somerset Police headquarters is the largest employer, but many work in Bristol and its environs. The parish comprises the whole town, with the old parish church of St Peter at one end of the flourishing High Street, and the former nautical school chapel of St Nicholas serving the area facing the Bristol Channel. There are several congregations, mostly following the

pattern of Common Worship Holy Communion Order One, with some variations, and an active church membership of about 330 people. Our town is prosperous, but with patches of deprivation and loneliness, and the biggest challenge is probably to communicate effectively with the town’s large new population, of whom very many are busy and ambitious couples and families with no local ties. We believe our two church primary schools (one shared with the Methodists) are of the highest importance in connecting us to the wider community. Each has an outstanding Headteacher and staff who have enabled us to build a real presence in each school and we believe that maintaining and developing this is one of our primary goals. The Team Vicars, Rev Christine Judson and Rev Tina Hodgett, are designated Team Pastor and Team Pilgrim. The latter is a new role, as of 2011, with a brief to devote 70% of her time to minister in the community, work with other agencies in matters of shared interest, accompany others on their spiritual journey, and explore new ways of sharing the Christian gospel beyond the church walls. Much progress has been made in this area and we are now seeking God’s guidance on the next steps to be taken. Over the last four years we have completed a major programme of repairs, modernisation and improvements to the church buildings. In 2014 we formed our four-year Mission Action Plan to grow our discipleship, expressed through four aspects (set out in Our Vision, below). We believe this articulates God’s will for us at this time. We look forward to the outworking of the Plan under the influence and guidance of the Team, led by our new Rector. On our parish website (www.portisheadparish.co.uk) under the heading What’s Happening there is a wealth of information about activities in the parish, particularly in the Parish Chronicles for 2014 (www.portisheadparish.co.uk/ws-public/uploads/79_Chronicles_2015_v3.pdf). We would be happy to provide a hard copy of this document on request.

CROSS OF NAILS - A RECENT ADDITION TO ST PETER’S

http://www.portisheadparish.co.uk/

http://(www.portisheadparish.co.uk/ws-public/uploads/79_Chronicles_2015_v3.pdf


BLESSING OF THE SEA AT BLACK NORE POINT

OUR VISION In our Mission Action Plan we seek to encourage a whole-life discipleship by helping everyone to have a deeper understanding and experience of their apprenticeship to Jesus Christ, and his consequences for their whole life. The Plan has four aspects:

We seek to be a ministering congregation, with a greater sense of shared ownership for the life of the Church community, fostering lay leadership and encouraging individual ministries.

We want the Church Community to be an incarnational presence at the heart of the local community, integral to its well-being, as its salt and light.

We believe that the Church Community should be an oasis that people look to for being healthy and whole in body, mind and spirit, and a beacon that guides people to live well in this complex world.

We are convinced that the Church Community must have a passionate desire for peace and justice, engage in informed, wise and transformative action, and enable the Christian voice to be heard in the public sphere.

OUR PARISH We are an active and friendly parish with an electoral roll of 430 and an average Sunday attendance of 211 adults and 30 children. We have two churches with a single PCC and a team of two wardens and four deputy wardens. We have very strong links with our two church schools – Trinity Anglican Methodist Primary School (generally a two-form entry), and St Peter’s C of E Primary School (three-form entry, numbers rising - their choir recently reached the semi-final of the BBC School Choir of the Year contest). Both schools are rated Outstanding by SIAMS (reports are available via the schools’ websites www.trinityschool.n-somerset.sch.uk or www.st-peters.n-somerset.sch.uk).

The Portishead Team We are seeking to recruit a new Team Rector, following the departure of the incumbent after five years to become Canon Missioner at Norwich Cathedral. We have two team vicars and five Readers. Two of our Readers have passed retirement age, but have extended their ministry over the vacancy. Others are nearing retirement age, but a parishioner has been accepted for Reader training starting in September 2015. We recently bade farewell to our Curate, Revd Jeremy Putnam, and are currently supporting an applicant through the selection process for ordination. We have regularly hosted students from Trinity College, Bristol, for short parish placements. Our church administrator (0.7FTE) runs the parish office and our lead verger supports our wedding and funeral ministry. We are recruiting for a (half-time) Children and Families work leader - a post which is being funded for three years, primarily by a grant from the diocese and a legacy from a lifelong servant of our church.

http://www.st-peters.n-somerset.sch.uk/


Clergy

Revd Christine Judson Team Pastor Responsible for the provision of pastoral care across the parish

Revd Tina Hodgett Team Pilgrim 70% of time spent in the community, following where God leads, and 30% supporting traditional church

Readers

Jenny Sully Simon Stevens Ken Wyatt Hugh Capon Rodney Wheeler

Churchwardens

Tricia Margerison Pearl Walker

Deputy Churchwardens

Chris Young Christine Brownlie Chris Harries Mary Gilbert

Juliet Bracken, Brenda Greenham, Parish Administrator Lead Verger


MILLENIUM GARDEN IN ST PETER’S CHURCHYARD

Worship, Mission & Pastoral A detailed account of all our activities from the Portishead Chronicles 2014, is available on our website www.portisheadparish.co.uk/ws-public/uploads/79_Chronicles_2015_v3.pdf. The summary below gives the main facts, including recent developments.

Sunday Services (with approximate average attendance figures):

St Peter 8.00am Holy Communion - mostly Common Worship, with BCP once a month (30) 9.15am God’s Family at Worship, including Communion (75) 11.15am Parish Communion - Common Worship (45) 6.00pm (summer)/4.00pm (winter) Sung BCP Evensong (1st & 3rd Sundays) (15) Healing Service (5th Sunday) (10) 4.30pm/6.00pm Junior Youth Event/Youth Event (2nd Sunday) (25)

St Nicholas 9.30am Parish Communion - Common Worship (55) 11.15am United Reformed Church service (see below under St Nicholas’ Church)

At the 9.30 and 11.15 Holy Communion services organists, choirs and clergy are robed – the 9.15 service is less formal with an instrumental music group, contemporary songs, and the use of audio visual materials.

Other Regular Services: St Peter Thursday 10.30am – Holy Communion (20) (C W, with monthly MU participation) St Nicholas Fourth Saturday 10.00am – Walsingham Mass (9) Trinity Sch. Wednes. 9.00am to 9.30am* & St Peter’s Sch. Wednes. 10.00am to 10.40am*

*services of worship for Foundation Stage/KS1 and KS2

Births, Marriages and Deaths – in 2014 the parish clergy conducted 72 baptisms, 28 weddings and 80 funerals of which 42 included a service in church.

Annual services – over the course of 2014 over 12,500 people attended services at our two churches. As the only parish in this large town we are privileged to welcome many people for the occasional offices and special services. These include Remembrance Sunday, Civic Service, School Bag Sunday, Pet Service, All Souls Commemoration Service and three Christingle Services, in addition to all the usual festivals. Ecumenical – we are active participants in Portishead Churches Together, which organises services for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the Good Friday Walk of Witness. Other events such as The Diamond Jubilee Big Lunch, an Election Hustings and a Pentecost weekend of social action projects have been arranged and the town’s clergy meet weekly for breakfast and/or prayers. The other churches in the town are: St Joseph’s R.C., Methodist (2 churches), United Reformed Church, Gordano Valley Church, Vintage Church, Roath Road Chapel, and the Society of Friends. The churches also work together for Women’s World Day of Prayer and Christian Aid Week.

http://www.portisheadparish.co.uk/ws-public/uploads/79_Chronicles_2015_v3.pdf.


Other activities - some of the initiatives that have been taking place in recent years:

GF8 – a teenage youth group which meets monthly.

LLADS – Lads, Lasses and Dads is an opportunity for dads to play with their children, along with others and to eat bacon butties. It happens twice monthly on a Saturday morning – once in a school and once in a Children’s Centre.

Friday Football aims at building fitness and friendship and takes place every Friday evening with an average attendance of around 15 men and a much larger membership.

‘Church Tots’ meets weekly at St Peter’s, and Pitstop (our new young families congregation) meets monthly in the St. Barnabas Centre.

We have taken a fresh approach to ante-natal classes with Birth and Beyond acknowledging the everyday miracle, along with practical information about giving birth and caring for a newborn. (www.birth-and-beyond.org.uk)

The Lighthouse café is held weekly at St Nicholas and offers free Fairtrade beverages and home-made cakes, as well as a listening ear, to all and any who come. Over £2000 has been raised for community charities in the first year by voluntary donations from visitors to the café. Once a month we support a ‘Carers and Cared-for’ café, run by Portishead Dementia Action Alliance, which focuses on dementia sufferers and their carers. For both of these we work in partnership with our URC friends who worship at St Nicholas. We also host a weekly International café at St. Nicholas for people whose first language is not English.

The Good Friday Car Wash in Homebase car park was an expression of love and service for the community on the day of Christ’s supreme act of love and service to us. Prior to the day over 30 volunteers attended training to reflect on what Christ’s death meant to them. Nearly 90 cars were washed for free (the Bishop helped!

Men’s and Women’s Breakfasts are held at the local Brewer’s Fayre with speakers on topics such as “Managing the local Waitrose” and “40 years as a Relate Counsellor”. Ideal for bringing a non-church friend.

LIGHTHOUSE CAFE

CAR WASH IN ACTION

http://www.birth-and-beyond.org.uk/


Parish Weekend each year up to 100 of us spend a weekend together for fellowship, teaching, worship and recreation at centres such as Lee Abbey, near Lynmouth, and Brunel Manor, near Torquay. In 2014 a families-oriented parish weekend at Great Wood, in Somerset, was very successful, and a retreat at Ammerdown House was memorable for those who attended. Teaching and Study In addition to a variety of Home Groups, and work in the schools, our activities in this field include:

Exploring Christianity – a weekly study group following the course produced by the Bath & Wells Diocesan School of Formation. This has a wide range of participants including some considering vocations as priest, reader and preaching assistant.

Hitchhikers’ Guide to God – an introduction to faith. Both adult and young persons’ groups have met, with some going on to confirmation.

The Fully Human Project (FHP) – as a major element of fulfilling our aim to grow in discipleship, we are running a series of six courses and events (over two years) by which church members offer love and service to the community in the context of the Incarnation, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, Pentecost and Parousia. Volunteers attend a “training” session to get a better understanding of the particular scriptural event, and can then take part in events intended to enact elements of this aspect of the life of Jesus, in the community.

Ethics forum – organised twice a year, with invited distinguished speakers in different ethical fields.

Work in Schools We have two highly-successful church primary schools (over 1,000 children), each with an outstanding Christian ethos, and we have put a high priority on working with them, through governance, assemblies, services, families support, reading buddies and other links. The Head Teachers of both of these schools value the close working relationship between church and school, are fully committed to its future and consider it to be a key factor in their children’s schooling experience. From ‘worship’ for staff at the start of the year to ‘Moving up’ sessions for pupils about to undergo the transition from primary to secondary schooling at the end, the church is involved. Oasis@Trinity is a thriving outworking of the partnership between church and school at Trinity School, that aims to support families by creating supportive relationships and events for parents including weekly coffee and chat sessions hosted by the Family Support Worker. The clergy also give occasional assemblies at the non-church primary schools and the town’s one secondary school, Gordano School. All these schools have carol services in one or other of our churches at Christmas.

STORY TELLING AT STAR TRAIL


Pastoral care The need for pastoral care is constant and universal, and we foster fellowship in our congregations to this end. Under the leadership of Revd Chris Judson, the Team Pastor, the Readers and a team of eight Pastoral Assistants work to identify and respond to needs as they arise. This is a major task, particularly as the town has a large number of retirement communities and care facilities.

Outreach We are constantly seeking ways to bring the Good News to others. The appointment of Rev Tina Hodgett as Team Pilgrim was intended to allow her to give 70% of her time to reaching deep into the local community and to devising strategies for carrying Christ’s love to wherever it might be received. This has allowed us to develop this area of our ministry. The fruits include Birth and Beyond, the Fully Human Project, Gospel Cocktails at the annual Flower Show, and a Labyrinth of Light at the town’s late-night-opening events before Christmas.

Bells – St Peter’s Church has eight bells and an enthusiastic band of ringers who ring for Sunday services and practise on Tuesdays. There is a good social life in the tower with holidays and outings to other towers.

Deanery and Diocese – the parish belongs to the Portishead Deanery, one of nineteen in the Diocese of Bath and Wells, and is under the superintendence of the Archdeacon of Bath, the Ven. Andy Piggott. We have six lay places on the Deanery Synod. The diocesan initiative “Changing Lives, Changing Churches for Changing Communities” operates on the principles of ‘No-one alone’ (supporting each other in ministry and mission), ‘On your doorstep’, (providing worship and witness in every parish in the diocese), ‘Better together’ (servicing worship and mission through local ministry teams and local ministry groups of ordained and lay leadership) and ‘The ‘reconversion’ of Somerset’ (sharing the love of Christ with individuals and the communities around us).

Finance Our full financial statements for 2014 are available at www.portisheadparish.co.uk/annual-report. Stripping out the income and expenditure on Reserved funds (mainly the end of our improvement and repair programmes for our two churches, which are fully funded), the ordinary (Unreserved and General funds) Income and Expenditure showed a surplus of just over £10,000 in 2014 (Income £235,000, Expenditure £225,000), following a stewardship campaign. Our largest outgoings are the Parish share (£151,000 in 2014) and the tithed giving on our planned giving income (£14,350 in 2014). The PCC decided in 2013 that we should categorise ourselves as a parish with a mix of prosperous and less-prosperous areas for the assessment of parish share. Following the major programme of work on our church buildings, our reserves are reduced, but they are at a safe level.

GOSPEL COCKTAILS

http://www.portisheadparish.co.uk/annual-report

http://www.portisheadparish.co.uk/annual-report


PERSON SPECIFICATION FOR OUR NEW TEAM RECTOR We are looking for a person with the following qualifications and qualities:

Qualifications/Training An ordained priest within the Church of England, or a Church in communion with it,

or a Church whose orders it recognises.

An enhanced DBS certificate.

Experience A strategic thinker able to demonstrate, in either a previous parish or a previous

role, that they are capable of, and enjoy, dealing with complexity.

A person who has an awareness of a variety of techniques and activities to promote deeper prayer, Biblical understanding, and the connection between life and faith.

Knowledge, Skills and Competencies A skilled leader of leaders, capable of inspiring us to grow in our discipleship, who

will complement the gifting of our Pastor and Pilgrim.

A team player — with the ability to work with other professionals as part of a team, and also to lead teams effectively.

An enabler and encourager — capable of real insight into, and oversight of, the whole parish, with a desire to encourage current leaders and raise up others.

A builder of community, who can make real in the church Paul’s vision of ‘body theology’ and can guide and sustain a community through periods of change.

A nurturer of relationships – comfortable with, and able to relate to the wide range of people and groups both in the church and the town.

A communicator of our faith in ways suitable for a variety of people and groups.

A person with strong computer literacy skills.

General Attributes A prayerful person.

An approachable and confident person, who trusts the Holy Spirit to do extraordinary things.

A courageous leader, willing to take risks.

Values We are looking for someone who values:

Tradition and innovation.

The Eucharist, within a flexible framework.

The breadth of moral and theological views in the parish, and thrives on holding the views and people together in creative tension.

The church’s desire to be fully inclusive whilst caring for those who hold different views.

Schools generally, and also sees St Peter’s and Trinity schools as expressions of church.

The priesthood of all believers, but also the wider community of Portishead.

Ecumenical working.

‘EMBRACE THE FUTURE’

CAMPAIGN


ROLE DESCRIPTION FOR OUR NEW TEAM RECTOR We are looking for a Team Rector who will:

1. Share with the Bishop of Bath & Wells and the Bishop of Taunton, and with the other Clergy in the Team, the cure of souls in the parish.

2. Minister within the Parish, having regard to the calling and responsibilities of the clergy of the Church of England as described in the Ordinal, the Canons, national and local safeguarding policies, the Diocesan Clergy Manual and all other relevant legislation, in accordance with the Archbishops’ statement Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy.

3. Work with the Team Vicars (Pastor &

Pilgrim), members of the Parochial Church

Council, Lay Readers, Pastoral Assistants and

Worship Leaders, Kubernestai (our spiritual

steering/piloting group) and others in the

development of the church in the parish, having

regard to the need for sustainability and

effectiveness in mission.

ST NICHOLAS CHURCH

4. Release the energy and gifts of the whole people of God 5. Ensure that a high standard of worship, preaching and pastoral care is provided. 6. Be ready and willing to reimagine ministry and mission with the recognition that

some initiatives will not always bear fruit. 7. Contribute, where appropriate, to the life of the wider church (at deanery, diocesan

or national level) and community.

The Team Rector will have broad responsibility and oversight of the worship, ministry and mission within the parish with special responsibility for:

shaping the worshipping life of the church

leading the parish in terms of theological understanding, spiritual development and Christian nurture, thus enabling us to deepen our spiritual lives ST PETER’S NAVE

valuing and growing our various congregations (established and emerging), including our school congregations, and helping us to explore their future, whilst being a visible sign of their unity in Christ.


leading the church as we focus on children and young adults and seek to build stronger connections with the young families who already attend (working with a Children’s Work Leader whom we hope to appoint soon)

nurturing and growing our healthy partnership with Portishead United Reformed Church (based at St. Nicholas’ Church), supporting shared activities including The Lighthouse Café and combined services, and continuing our commitment to ‘Churches Together in Portishead’, that together we might witness to God’s love

inspiring us to develop our understanding and engagement with contemporary global issues, as an expression of our whole life discipleship, lived to God’s glory

representing the parish within the community, especially in the sphere of civic engagement, and within the diocese, so that the church is visible and available to all

The person appointed will have oversight, leadership and ultimate (legal) responsibility for the present Team of clergy and laity – a group of equals of different experiences and skills, with diverse styles and gifts. The parish recognises that a successful Team Ministry requires careful handling and seeks a Team Rector who will:

work with others as ‘first among equals’ – operating both as Leader of the Team and as Team Vicar within his/her particular sphere of ministerial responsibility.

hold and evolve, together with others, the current Team Vision, as outlined in the Mission Action Plan, and be pre-eminent in its implementation.

honour and encourage diversity and work towards an agreed delegation of leadership of specific areas of ministry.

be responsible for the effective running of the Team and have the capacity to introduce and hold the creative use of boundaries and confidentiality as central to building and maintaining trust.

contribute to the occasional conversations with other Team Rectors in the diocese and be open to training opportunities provided through the Diocese in group dynamics, teamwork and other appropriate areas.

We are offering the support and stimulation of a creative team of ordained and lay colleagues, an openness to new ways of being and of living and sharing the gospel, an awareness of our own fallibility and an appreciation of humour and fun!

We are aware that ministry is demanding and we want to support all of our Team with the following expectations:

regular days off, including at least one day off a week and two days off consecutively once a month.

full allocation of annual leave

an annual retreat (expenses paid)

working expenses paid in full THE LAKE GROUNDS


CHURCH BUILDINGS St Peter’s Church (BS20 6PS) is a Grade 1 listed building dating back in part to the 12th century, with a closed churchyard, at the south end of the High Street. The church has recently been modernised to improve access, to give us a modern kitchen and to meet DDA requirements. We also installed modern audio-visual facilities, and made the church more comfortable and convenient. A new altar and dossal cross have been created, the font moved to a more suitable position, with a play/relaxation area created in its former location. It is open during daylight hours throughout the year. For major occasions such as Remembrance Day services, extra seating is required, as the normal capacity is about 270. The last quinquennial inspection (2013) did not raise any major concerns. A feature of the churchyard is the Millennium Garden, which has regularly received a Gold award from Britain in Bloom.

St Nicholas’ Church (BS20 8EY) dates from the early 1900s and was originally the chapel of the TS Formidable Nautical School. The school closed in the 1980s and the parish acquired the chapel to replace the small St Augustine’s church, to serve the increasing population of the Redcliffe Bay area. In 2013 the local United Reformed Church (URC) had to leave their own building, and we entered into a 25-year sharing agreement with them, whereby they would use St Nicholas for their services, under clearly-defined conditions, including a number of joint services.

The 2008 quinquennial advised replacement of St Nicholas’ Church roof, and this has been done (and paid for). The 2013 inspection did not raise any major concerns. As part of the same programme internal improvements were made which have turned a rather austere “narthex”, created in 1986, into a light and comfortable space with modern kitchen and toilet facilities. It is now called The Lighthouse. The URC made a substantial contribution to the cost of the new facilities. The nave still has pews, with a normal capacity of about 150, but the partition to the Lighthouse can be folded back to give a maximum capacity of about 200. The building is Grade 2 listed, and was consecrated as a church in 2014, having been designated a chapel until then. It stands on a woodland site overlooking the Bristol Channel, with parking at the back.


PORTISHEAD FROM THE MARINA

THE RECTORY (2 Brambling Lane, BS20 7NN) The Rectory is situated at the heart of the Village Quarter, the new housing estate which adjoins Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve and the Bristol Channel. It overlooks a sizeable grassy play area and has a well-loved rear garden and a double garage. The house is carefully designed, spacious and attractively decorated. The ground floor includes a light and roomy kitchen/diner, three reception rooms (one serving as a study) and WC. Upstairs 4 bedrooms (1 en-suite) and a bathroom open off a gallery landing. Currently let.

There are three other clergy houses in the parish, located in Nightingale Rise, Brampton Way and Lambourne Way.

OUR COMMUNITY

Portishead is a coastal town in North Somerset on the Severn Estuary, and ten miles from the centre of Bristol. Banksy’s Dismaland is thirty minutes away! To the North and West lie the Channel and the mountains of South Wales. To the South and East is wooded Somerset, including the Gordano Valley, designated as a National Nature Reserve. For the last 20 years the town has been one of the fastest growing in Britain and its amenities have grown along with its population.

History and Development Portishead was for centuries a quiet fishing port with a water mill, but it expanded during the early 19th century, with docks, a railway and supporting industries including a nail factory. All of these, including the later power stations and chemical works are long gone. A number of wealthy Bristol citizens bought or built handsome houses overlooking Woodhill Bay, but Clevedon, five miles down the coast, became the resort of choice, and Portishead’s development stalled until the mid-20th century.

THE RECTORY


PORTISHEAD MARINA

The brownfield site round the harbour, once occupied by grimy industries, stood idle until the 1990s, when it became a successful development of houses and flats called Port Marine: waterfront living coupled with better schools and a different lifestyle. While it is only 3 miles from Junction 19 on the M5 Motorway, there is little through traffic, offering a safe environment for children. The development subsequently spread over the low-lying land between the harbour and the modern port for Bristol at Royal Portbury Dock.

The coastal strip between the edge of the town and Portbury Dock became a Nature Reserve with a substantial wetland habitat. The former commercial dock has been transformed into Portishead Quays Marina, only 10 minutes’ walk from the town centre but one of the best equipped marina facilities in the South West, making the Bristol Channel hospitable to fishermen and yachtsmen, from day sailors to round-the-world retirees, and attracting a number of pubs and restaurants.

Life in Portishead There is no sandy beach, but the town has many of the features of a seaside resort. A South-facing promenade marks the limit of the Lake Grounds park area which attracts residents and day visitors to use the play park, have a picnic or a meal, watch the cricket or admire the ships which pass close in to Battery Point. Sailing is centred at the Sailing Club at Sugarloaf Bay. Adjacent to the Marina is Parish Wharf leisure centre, with two indoor pools, a large, well equipped gym, indoor cycling studio and four badminton courts. It also has facilities for five-a-side football, volleyball and basketball. In early July the peace of the Lake Grounds is disturbed by enthusiastic crowds cheering the hardy souls who risk a ducking to compete in the annual Raft Race which last year raised nearly £10,000 for local charities and community groups. The local Gordano Living magazine lists 66 clubs, organisations and support groups on its centre pages. Portishead enjoys live music of all sorts, from music nights in the pubs to concerts by the town’s two bands and several choirs. Portishead Players puts on four high quality productions a year and the annual Flower Show is a major event, spanning two days.

YOUTH GROUP AT THE RAFT RACE


A Community of Activists There is a tremendous community spirit in the town. For instance, when the Outdoor Swimming Pool was threatened with closure in 2008, local supporters persuaded the council to let them run it as a Community Trust. They secured the support of a TV makeover programme resulting in a £200,000 refurbishment. Now, it is heated by green energy and run almost entirely by volunteers, a popular place to relax on sunny days.

For many years the independent Portishead Lifeboat Trust maintained an inshore rescue service based at Sugarloaf Bay, but in 2015, following years of fundraising planning and training, the RNLI took over the station. A new state-of-the-art Lifeboat Station and launching ramp was built just outside the harbour. It is now fully operational.

THE LIFEBOAT STATION

Portishead Railway Group has long been promoting the case for reopening the branch line to Bristol, closed by Dr Beeching. This is now going ahead as a key part of the MetroWest project which will link and upgrade the railway system in the Bristol area. The line is planned to open by May 2019. The residents take great pride in their town and volunteers in distinctive Hi-Vis jackets can be seen picking up litter or planting and tending the many flower beds. Last year Portishead was given a Gold Award by the RHS Britain in Bloom judges– the achievement of the wonderful team of volunteers who not only look after the flower beds, but fundraise and cajole businesses and householders to do their bit in making the whole town bloom. After some years in abeyance the town Carnival was revived and has become a major event (with an occasional year off!). Money raised from the event goes to local charities and organisations, with Portishead Christmas Lights among the main beneficiaries.

The High Street Although Portishead now has around 28,000 people, the High Street has the feel of a much smaller market town and is still its focal point, retaining its character with a mixture of traditional shops, pubs and restaurants. There is a weekly market and a separate monthly farmers’ market.

BATTERY POINT


The Christmas lights transform the High Street from St Peter’s church to Waitrose and beyond. The Victorian evening sees the High Street closed to traffic, and stalls and shops opened to sell Christmas goods and fare. Stallholders and many of the public wear Victorian dress, while the Town Band plays to entertain the crowds.

Beyond the High Street there is plenty of shopping: Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Lidl, Aldi, Homebase, Argos and other national brands, as well as local enterprises in one of the three trading estates. Tesco and Morrisons are represented by convenience stores. Eating out involves choosing from a wide variety of cuisines and styles, even without going as far as the many good pub eateries scattered round the surrounding countryside.

Schools Many young families are attracted to Portishead by the excellent schools. The Church School Inspection Report of March 2015 said of St. Peter’s Church of England Primary School: - "All stakeholders recognise and speak openly of the inclusive and nurturing Christian ethos which envelops this community. This is described by one pupil as 'something you can simply feel all around you like a blanket making you feel warm and safe'”.

Trinity Anglican Methodist Primary School was rated “outstanding” in the SIAMS report and the inspectors said “The school is true to its vision to be at the heart of the community. It is inclusive, caring and focussed on raising achievement and extending opportunities for children’s personal development”.

Gordano School, Portishead’s comprehensive, was visited by Ofsted in April 2012 and was judged as an outstanding school. The inspectors stated that, 'Students benefit from an outstanding education.' They were impressed by behaviour at the school commenting, 'Students' excellent behaviour and positive attitudes make a significant contribution to their learning in a very happy, safe and harmonious environment.' The curriculum and Sixth Form were singled out for praise and also judged to be outstanding.

Health Two health centres serve the town: the longer-established Portishead Medical Group on a central site next to the new Aldi store on Wyndham Way, and the newer Harbourside health centre in the entrance to the Village Quarter development. Both practices offer a full range of services, but the nearest hospital facilities are at Clevedon (a cottage hospital) and Southmead, Bristol (a major new general hospital). There are five nursing homes in the town as well as a growing number of developments offering sheltered accommodation or assisted living.

PASSING THE POINT


Looking to the future........

CHALLENGES We have a lot to celebrate in the life of our church: we desire to serve God and show his love to others, we’re generous, hard-working, committed and faithful, open to new ideas and willing to take risks. To be more effective in sharing in God’s mission, we need to grow: in our spiritual lives, our theological knowledge and understanding, our sense of being an interdependent community, and in numerical size, so we can carry on reaching out and be a channel for transformation. We need to observe, document and try to grasp what God is doing in our midst as new ways of being and doing church emerge. Engaging with diocesan and national conversations and research, we hope to explore what this means for us as Portishead Church of England. We are aware that we may need to re-shape as people who were on the fringes of church come closer to Christ. Local people are generally open to the Christian faith but need to encounter forms of church that connect with them ‘where they’re at’, with their rhythms of life and their culture. Many groups and agencies are willing to work with the church community (across the ecumenical spectrum) for the good of the whole town. Areas of significant concern are the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of an ageing population, and the needs of young families for guidance and support in matters of finance, parenting, mental health and relationships. Across the congregations, and the town, people seek to express their gratitude for the life they enjoy in helping others less fortunate than themselves, so there are lots of opportunities to engage with the global issues of our day in ways that are meaningful and offer hope.

We invite you to come and lead us as we seek to realise our Mission Action Plan and share Christ in these situations.

‘Growing more confident disciples’ The core of our Mission Action Plan

CONTACTS Bath & Wells Diocese: 01749 670777 (Swbd)

Archdeacon of Bath: 01225 873609 Rural Dean: 01275 873257 Parish Office: 01275 846230 Team Pastor: 01275 397232 Team Pilgrim: 01275 847696

RECRUITMENT TIME TABLE Closing date for applications: 7th Dec.2015

Interviews: 6th & 7th January 2016

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