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The Mission Community of St Peter and the Holy Apostles Plymouth

St Thomas Royal Navy Avenue + St Peter Wyndham Square + St James the Less Ham Drive PL2 2AJ PL1 5EG PL2 2NJ

Buildings are necessary................

…………the challenge is MISSION !

The Love of Christ Compels Us to Answer His Call to Follow Him and to Bring Others with Us!



Money matters…. We must increase our income to resource our life, work and witness.

Mass matters much…… We must maintain the DAILY Mass wherein the Lord nourishes our life, work and witness and we must encourage others to attend

Mission matters most! Above all we must grow our Church Community, especially among children, young people and families.Our Mission Strategy – is driven by the words of St Paul – ‘The Love of Christ Compels us.’ 2 Cor. 514

‘The love of Christ Compels us’ to come together, especially on the ‘Lords Day’ to worship him, fittingly, and as a community to provide a worthy space and means to fulfil that privilege and obligation.

‘The love of Christ Compels us’ to extend his love to others, by making the Gospel accessible to them and encouraging them to ‘Come and See’. This is our motivation for Mission and evangelization.

‘The love of Christ Compels us’ to use the gifts God has given us to his glory, and to encourage others to do the same by promoting lay ministries to work in harmony with and guided by our Parish Priest. We acknowledge our need for help in continuing to explore this aspect of parish life.

‘The love of Christ Compels us’ to encourage the young, and to learn from them as they share fully, safety permitting, in the life, work and witness of our Mission Community. We are open to discovering new ways in our ministry with and to children, and we are determined to maintain strong links with our Church Primary School.

‘The love of Christ Compels us’ to welcome others, as Christ welcomes us to the table of His Word and of His Sacrament. It is a priority that each of our church buildings become “A People Place” of real welcome, and are adapted for worship and community use that proclaim that welcome.

‘The love of Christ Compels us’ to work and strive for visible unity, both within our own Mission Community and with Christians of other traditions. Mindful of this, we aim to maintain our current Ecumenical links and to explore them more actively.

THE PATRONS




The Bishop of Exeter and Keble College, Oxford acting jointly, together with the Parochial Church Council are seeking to appoint a Parish Priest rooted in the traditional Catholic Faith to pastor and lead the Parish of St Peter and the Holy Apostles, Plymouth within the Diocese of Exeter into NEW LIFE and GROWTH.

BUILDINGSWe have three churches, a Church Primary School and other buildings serving three distinct communities. However, out of three separate parishes we are now legally one and we are working to consolidate our growth into a single Church Community in which, regardless of where people worship, each person feels that the life, work and witness of the whole and of each is their responsibility. We want a Parish Priest who will help us to become that single Church community that is effective in Mission and service to the wider communities we are called to serve.We see our buildings as necessary resources to help us in Mission.

The Parish Church – dedicated to St Peter is located in Wyndham Square and it serves the Stonehouse area of the city.

St Peter’s CE VA Primary School is located in Rendle Street. St Peter’s Vicarage is located at 23, Wyndham Square. St Peter’s Curates House is located at 261 North Road West and is

provided by the Diocesan Board of Finance. The Church of St Thomas the Apostle is located in Royal Navy

Avenue, North Keyham (in close proximity to Devonport Dockyard and HMS Drake) and serves Keyham.

The Church of St James the Less, Ham Drive is located in the substantial former Council estates of Ham and North Prospect.

There is first floor accommodation at St Thomas, currently used by a lay Pastoral Assistant working in the Royal Naval Chaplaincy in HMS Drake

St James’ former vicarage is located behind the church. It is now owned by the Diocesan Board of Finance.

A SINGLE PARISH AND MISSION COMMUNITY with a one Parochial Church Council ready to work in partnership with our Parish Priest to strengthen and extend the life, work and witness of the Church in the inner city, North Keyham, Ham and North Prospect areas of Plymouth. If this is YOU, please read on…………

CATHOLIC FAITH AND CATHOLIC LIFE




The parish is firmly rooted within the Catholic tradition, which shapes our life, work and witness and is clearly shown in our pattern of worship and the ethos in all three churches.

ORDINATION OF WOMENResolutions A, B and C have been passed by the Parochial Church Council and therefore the new Priest will be male. We seek a Parish Priest who will not only accept the current situation but who is personally wholly supportive of our position in this matter and who will lead us in making use of the Bishop’s Declaration when the General Synod legislates for women to be bishops. Membership of SSC (Societas Sancte Crucis) – of which society our first Parish Priest was a founding member – and of Forward in Faith are important, demonstrating a firm commitment to the continued teaching of the Catholic Faith as understood, taught and lived by his predecessors and our community as well as showing a commitment to do nothing that harms our search for visible unity with the great Communions of East and West.

VICARAGEOur Parish Priest will live in the present St Peter’s Vicarage [pictured on the cover], situated immediately opposite the Parish Church in Wyndham Square. This is vital because of his ministry of solidarity with the poor, to the casual caller and to those seeking the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

THE CHALLENGEThere is still much to do to consolidate the life, work and witness of this Mission Community, and to promote serious Mission and Evangelization of the communities we serve. We are seeking a Parish Priest who has incumbency experience and who has been responsible for the formation of and the deployment of others, ordained and lay. Our new Parish Priest will also be someone in whom the Diocesan Bishop has confidence and may entrust the formation of those newly ordained.

CURRENT HELP – Priestly and LayAll members of our Parochial Church Council are committed to working in partnership with our new Parish Priests.In addition, we are fortunate to have the help of three retired priests who worship with us in the Parish and who assist in maintaining the daily Mass which was established in 1849 and has continued in St Peter’s Parish Church without a break to the present time. We want this maintained in the Parish Church and, when possible, for the daily Mass to be restored to the life of the other two churches.




The Mass provides us with the nourishment for our daily life, work and witness as the Church.Sister Mary Joseph SC is on loan to our Community from the Sisters of Charity in Plympton. She lives in The House of Charity in Wyndham Square. Sister assists with the distribution of Holy Communion to the sick and housebound. She also manages requests for Baptism, and assists as necessary in the sacristy of the Parish Church. Eight members of our congregations are licensed as Lay Eucharistic Ministers at Mass. One ministers at St Thomas, one at St James, the others at St Peter but all may minister in all three churches at the Parish Priest’s invitation.

SIGNS OF NEW LIFEFr Trevor Jordan, formerly attached to us whilst waiting reception into the Diocese of Exeter from the RC Diocese of Plymouth, began to grow a new congregation at St James the Less on Saturdays at 5pm. He is now on the staff of the Sacred Heart Mission Community to the east of the City Centre. However, with the goodwill of the last Bishop of Plymouth, our Archdeacon and of his current Parish Priest, helped by his wife, he continues to develop this work under the name CRAFTY CHURCH. This revised initiative began in April 2014 and meets on the first Sunday of the month at 3pm, concluding with mass Saturday 5pm followed by a simple supper. On the first occasion there were twenty three children and fifteen adults who had no previous contact with the Church. It is at the very beginning of its life and we wish to see this made a secure feature of our life, work and witness at St James the Less and in time extended to our other two churches.Fr Trevor continues to offer Mass on the other Saturdays each month at 5pm. The liturgy is designed to reach out to those with little experience of the Church and Her Liturgy.We also wish to recover our work with children through the revival of work undertaken at St Peter, as follows:

Noah’s Ark – a DIY crèche for 0-5yr olds during Mass. Fisherfolk – a Children’s Liturgy Group during the Sunday Mass Jesse Tree Group – a mid-week after school club, akin to Crafty

Church.together with the use of resources from Friends and Heroes and StoryKeepers which we purchased, but they have never been fully exploited.

OUR CITY




Plymouth is the largest city in the south west peninsula, with a distinguished naval history dating back to Elizabethan times. There is considerable current investment and regeneration taking place within the city, not least in the areas served by St Peter’s in Stonehouse and St James the Less in North Prospect. The city has a population of over 250,000 and is home to a major Naval Base, Royal Dockyard, military garrison, two Universities, Medical School and Teaching Hospital. There are many excellent schools and colleges.The Brittany Ferry terminal (to France and Spain) is in St Peter’s area and there are good road and rail links to the rest of the country. There are also many opportunities for leisure pursuits with close proximity to Cornwall and local beaches as well as the Dartmoor National Park.

THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST PETER

The Parish of St Peter was founded in 1848 and has always been firmly within the Catholic tradition. It was here that

the daily Mass was restored to the life of the Church of England after a long lapse dating from the reformation.

the Sacrament of Reconciliation was defended in the Courts. Perpetual Reservation of the Blessed Sacrament was recovered

and defended against attack. the first Religious Community to be successfully established began

work here, originally called “The Devonport Sisters” and then known as the Society of the Holy Trinity. The first Religious House, St Dunstan’s Abbey, since the Reformation was built by them here. Since those beginnings there has been a long standing tradition of the Sisters working in the Parish.

The daily Mass has been offered without a break since the time of the first incumbent, Fr George Rundle Prynne – and it was maintained even during the disastrous Plymouth blitz and during the recent work [2007] to restore and reorder the parish church.

SUNDAY The Love of Christ Compels Us to Answer His Call to Follow Him and to Bring Others

with Us!



MASS

THE LOCATION OF OUR PARISH CHURCH

That restoration and re-ordering, with its innovative features, including a full immersion font and rill of water, has provided an inspiring setting for the Celebration of the Sacraments in keeping with modern liturgical practice, whilst giving the community a wonderful space for meeting, and an area adaptable for concerts, exhibitions, social gatherings, quiz nights, tea dances and the like. A Parish Hospitality Group co-ordinates bookings and arranges seasonal functions.

ST PETER’S PRIMARY SCHOOL




“Whosoever receives one such child in my name…”

The original schools, primary and secondary, were built in 1859 as a result of Fr Prynne’s efforts. He described them as “a work I never dropped”. They were previously in the corner of Wyndham Square. The Primary School moved to new buildings in the 1970’s, the school being opened by Princess Margaret, who later became Patron of our restoration fund in 2007. The school is a thriving community today and holds a good reputation in the city. It has nursery, infant and junior departments.

Our Parish Priest is automatically an ex officio member of the Governing Body unless he chooses not to serve. We expect him to serve and to make his ministry to the School community, the children and their families, and to our staff, a high priority. Previous experience as a school governor especially of a Church school, are desirable.

Under the leadership of the current head……….




Mrs Jan Digweedand with the support of our Parish clergy and laity the school regularly uses the church for various projects and activities during the Academic Year. Lessons including RE, Art and History are taught within the building. Daily Collective Worship is a fundamental feature of the school’s life, and our priests regularly lead it in school and occasionally, such as Harvest, in the parish church.

We also have a tradition of a School Mass each term, celebrated both in school and in the parish church as appropriate, including at Petertide, Christmas, Easter.The school has a permanent Altar in its hall and each class has an Icon of a Saint of the children’s choice. There is also a chalice that has been purchased for school Masses [kept in the parish church safe].List of StaffMrs Jan Digweed HeadteacherMrs Alison Moore Deputy HeadteacherMrs Joanna Eveleigh KS2 CoordinatorMrs Susan Hoare Foundation Stage LeaderMrs Helen Herwin TeacherMrs Sanchia Bradford TeacherMrs Sarah Jones TeacherMrs Judith Goodey TeacherMrs Karen Carter TeacherMrs Zara Merrifield TeacherMrs Karen Allen Teaching AssistantMrs Megan Hall Teaching AssistantMr Steven Hillman Teaching Assistant




Miss Georgie Hendy Teaching AssistantMiss Michelle Haworth Teaching AssistantMrs Anya Ilow Teaching AssistantMiss Andrea Dougall Nursery NurseMrs Jennie Gregory Teaching AssistantMrs Angela Walters Teaching AssistantMrs Beata Robinson Teaching AssistantMrs Julie Peard Parent Support AdvisorMiss Antonia Fletcher Teaching AssistantMrs Sharon Arthur Senior AdministratorMrs Caroline Crosby-Kinson Assistant Administrator

List of GovernorsFr Samuel Philpott Chair of Governors [will cease when a PP is appointed]Mrs Joanne Caufield Vice Chair of GovernorsMrs Fiona Hazeel Governor (Chair of Finance)Mr Gwyn Price GovernorMr Ian Tuffin GovernorFr Trevor Jordan GovernorMiss Sarah Fowkes GovernorMrs Angela Walters GovernorMr Daniel Ebsworth GovernorMrs Jan Digweed GovernorMrs Joanna Eveleigh Governor

ECUMENICAL LINKS There is a long-standing ecumenical link between the Parish Church and the Roman Catholic Cathedral, which is situated just a little way along the road from St Peter’s. We have a common ‘Covenant with the Poor’ which includes the Cathedral, ourselves Stoke Damerell Parish (Anglican), St Joseph’s Devonport (Roman Catholic) and the local Methodist and Greek Orthodox Communities. We have joint prayer at intervals during the year, support the local food bank, Christian Aid and CAFOD, and join together for Stations of the Cross every Good Friday. Stations begin in the RC Cathedral and conclude in St Peter – alternating each year.

WALSINGHAM There is an annual pilgrimage to The Shrine of Our Lady in Walsingham during September. The pilgrimage in 2012 was led by Bishop John Ford, Bishop of Plymouth. During this pilgrimage, we were fortunate to be allowed to celebrate Mass in Norwich Cathedral during our visit to the city.




In 1985 and again in 2011, we have had the joy of a Joint Pilgrimage with the Roman Catholic Cathedral and both Bishops have been pilgrims with us “for unity”.

THE EBBSFLEET CHRISM MASSBishops of Plymouth and Ebbsfleet have celebrated their Chrism Mass in St Peter’s, the most recent being celebrated by Bishop Jonathan Goodall SSC in 2014.

The Procession of the Holy Oils

during the 2014 Chrism Mass

THE CHURCH OF ST JAMES THE LESS, HAM DRIVE This building replaces a church in another part of the City with the same dedication, which was in another part of the city but was sadly damaged beyond repair in the ‘Plymouth Blitz.’




The current church was built to serve two post-war council estates known as Ham and North Prospect. North Prospect is currently undergoing extensive demolition of old houses Barratt Homes are building modern houses, some for rent and others for purchase. The rented homes are now owned by Plymouth Community Homes which was established to take on the management of homes transferred by the City Council.There is also a new “community hub” which accommodates a library and other community facilities. The Church of St James the Less is dominated by a superb east window by Sir Ninian Comper and is equally suited to adaptation for current liturgical practice, and has been and can be used for community events. There is a very good hall attached to the church. Recently, trees which have long been hiding the church building from the local community have been cut back, and there are positive moves being made to renew and refresh the life, work and witness of the present congregation, which is very tiny and elderly, so that there is a strong Christian presence in this challenging area of the City. MISSION IS URGENT and outreach to local schools is a priority. The new Mayflower Community Primary School, where Fr Trevor Jordan was briefly a governor, is an immediate neighbour.

THE CHURCH OF ST THOMAS, NORTH KEYHAMThis church has recently replaced a former very dilapidated building. It is attached to the former vicarage and seats approximately 50. The ground floor of the former house provides a kitchen, coffee lounge and disabled unisex toilet. It is our hope that this will also be used by the wider community in Keyham.




There is a small but faithful group who worship in the new St Thomas. We are keen to see growth here. It has had a strong Catholic tradition since the parish was established, and in a previous incumbency was known for its colourful Corpus Christi processions. Mass is sung each Sunday at St Thomas but there is currently no weekday Mass.Again, MISSION IS URGENT!AT ALL THREE CHURCHES we need to “go running” into our communities with the Good News and to tell everyone that they are welcome to join us in following the Risen One!

WORSHIP




The Parish Church of St Peter the Apostle

The daily celebration of the Mass is at the centre of our life at St Peter’s and we are naturally determined to continue this tradition, a legacy of the first Parish Priest of the Parish.

SUNDAYS 9.30am Morning Prayer [lay led]10.00am Solemn Mass Homily including Noah’s Ark and Fisherfolk Coffee is served after MassThe Modern Catholic Rite is used, with incense and a full complement of Servers to assist. Lay folk are on a rota of readers, and also read the Intercessions, bring up the Gifts at the Offertory and assist where required, with the singing.

WEEKDAYS10.00am Mass [said] – 7.00pm on Great Feasts

The Church of St Thomas the Apostle

SUNDAY10.00am Mass and Homily




Coffee is served after MassThe Mass is sung – a CD is used to assist with music as there is no organist or pianist. There is a small keyboard for use on occasions such as the Feast of Title.

WEEKDAYSAt present there is no Mass on weekdays.

The Church of St James the Less, ApostleSATURDAY 3.00pm Crafty Church [first Sunday of the month] 5.00pm Mass and Homily [with music team ] A simple supper is served after this Mass Both the above are missionary initiatives [see above] and reach out to those unfamiliar with the Church and her liturgical life.

SUNDAYS10.15am Mass and Homily [said] Coffee is served after MassThe congregation is tiny and elderly.

THURSDAY10.00am Mass [said]

OCCASIONAL OFFICESIn 2013, there were….Baptisms: 5Weddings: 3Funerals: 13 [all in church]Occasional Offices vary from year to year.

We need a Parish Priest who is passionate about ……

MISSION and GROWTH

WORK WITH CHILDREN Children have always been welcomed at all of our acts of worship, and in each Church we have lay-folk who will help them to worship with us. We have already mentioned our specific provision for children above. At the Parish Church, this involves taking the children to their own ‘Liturgy of the Word’ during Mass [there is a dedicated room for Children’s Ministry], from which they return at the Offertory. Sometimes making




some contribution with a song, but they always take their work to the Celebrant of the Mass at the Chair. We know we must attend to this vital aspect of our life as a Church community – strengthening the work at the Parish Church, supporting Fr Trevor’s work at St James and beginning new work at St Thomas.

SAFEGUARDING…..of children and vulnerable adults…………….. is of the greatest importance and is taken very seriously. We have a Safeguarding Policy in force and all lay-folk who work with the children in each church hold enhanced DBS checks. Our Lay Safeguarding Officer, Fiona Hazeel, assists our Parish Priest in this vital work by taking overall responsibility for Safeguarding over the three churches and she has a nominated assistant at St Peter and one at both St Thomas and St James. We are determined that our Church community in all its gatherings will be SAFE for both children and vulnerable adults. Safeguarding appears on the agenda of every meeting of our Parochial Church Council and on the agenda of every meeting of our School Governing Body.

RESOURCES FOR WORK WITH CHILDREN Materials: we have already mentioned

Noah’s Ark Fisherfolk Jesse Tree Friends & Heroes Story Seekers.

Space: At St Peter’s we have St Dunstan’s in the main body of the church

and an upstairs room. At St James we have the adjoining hall, separated from the church

by a sliding screen. At St Thomas we have the coffee lounge.

YOUNG ADULTSFr Trevor Jordan, when working fulltime with us at St Peter’s, began to reach out to young adults locally and to University Students. He established a weekly Young Adults Group. The group met on a Friday evening for discussion and study, prayer and a communal supper. From this initiative, it was hoped that a House of Hospitality and




Formation would be established in the parish, and if successful, be implemented at elsewhere in the City. Unfortunately, when he moved to work in another Mission Community this work faltered and is currently in abeyance. We hope that our new Parish Priest in partnership with Fr Trevor will be able to recover and strengthen this work.

DEVOTIONAL SOCIETIES The Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament and the Society of Our Lady of Walsingham are both significant features in the life of our parish. We expect our new priest to be a member of both and to support us in our devotions.

THE ADDITIONAL CURATES SOCIETYACS has supported the parish’s need to have assistant priestly help from the time of Fr Prynne’s ministry. We are keen supporters of the Society’s work – both its grant giving and its work to raise vocations to the Priesthood. In 2014, to date, we have given £650 to ACS from Lent Lunches, Lent Boxes and donations for coffee after each Mass.

MUSIC

At St Peter, music is currently co-ordinated by the musical director/organist, and is congregational with cantors, and, on occasions a small group of singers. We are careful to have music which suits the mood, the theme of the Readings, and the particular celebration of the Mass. Mass settings change often from week to week, and the congregation are very adaptable to ‘learning new tunes.’ A fair balance of traditional hymnody and modern worship songs are used.

At St James, music is decided by the Priest, when needed, in liaison with the organist. The informal worship on Saturday is often accompanied by a keyboard or guitar. At St Thomas, as previously mentioned, use is made of tapes, though there is occasional use of a keyboard for certain Masses or Funerals.

IN CONCLUSIONWe are looking for a priest who……….




grounded in the Catholic Faith, will maintain the daily Mass in St Peter’s Church and lead the Parish forward in discipleship

as an evangeliser, will by faithfully teaching the Faith of the Apostles inspire us to extend God’s love to all

will work with the PCC to consolidate, and build on strategies to unite the parish in Mission and in the development of lay ministries

will help to create a new vision for youth ministry, and maintain strong links with our Church Primary School and with other local community schools especially with Drake Community Primary and Mayflower Community schools.

will encourage the best use of our church buildings to enable them to become places of welcome and hospitality for the whole community so that our aspiration for them to be “A People Place” may become a reality.

will maintain, and help us develop our ecumenical links in a more positive way.

Our aspiration for our church buildings is….

A People PlaceIf this is not a place where tears are

understoodWhere can I go to cry?The Love of Christ Compels Us to Answer His Call to Follow Him and to Bring Others

with Us!



If this is not a place where my spirit can take wingWhere do I go to fly?

If this is not a place where my questions can be askedWhere do I go to seek?

If this is not a place where my feelings can be heardWhere do I go to speak?

If this is not a place where you will accept me as I amWhere can I go to be?

If this is not a place where I can try to learn and growWhere do I just be me?

Attributed to William J. Crockett

If YOU can help us to make that a reality of ourselves as a Church community ……then we hope you will apply to become our Parish Priest because the challenge here is…….

MISSION and GROWTH!

APPLICATIONS together with a current CV to be received in writing - by post or email addressed to:

By PostThe Venerable Ian Chandler, Archdeacon of PlymouthSt Mark’s Church1 Sanctuary ClosePlymouthPL2 1EN

By Email to Father Chandler’s [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]



Thank you for reading this Profile.Please pray for us!


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