The United Benefice of Lyndhurst, Emery Down and Minstead

Our Benefice comprises three quite different parishes, but with a common vision for future growth. There is great desire for faith development, both personal and collective, within our church families, and a wish for greater engagement with the non-worshipping community. Unfortunately, work with young people is currently limited to work with the Infant School and is an area of development that needs addressing with vigour.

Location
The villages of Lyndhurst, Minstead, Emery Down and Bank are set in the heart of the New Forest. The main roads to Bournemouth, Southampton, Winchester and Lymington, cross the Benefice and other major shopping and coastal resorts are within easy reach. There is a mainline railway station three miles away at Brockenhurst, with regular fast train services to London, the north and Scotland. Southampton and Bournemouth airports both support low-cost airlines, operating routes to a variety of domestic and international destinations.

The New Forest is not only a beautiful place to be, it is a working environment for many and has its own sub-culture. Many families have been involved with the Forest for generations.

Worship
Worship is mainly Eucharistic. After appropriate instruction, children over the age of eight are welcome to receive communion prior to confirmation. For regular services see the attached sheet and separate information for each parish. The Patronal Festival of each church is celebrated with a Benefice service. As much as we treasure our three beautiful buildings, our main purpose is to be a vibrant centre of the Christian faith in all our churches. We endeavour to promote our Christian faith with Christ’s teaching and the love of God in all our services and in our outreach to the people in our communities.

The Vicarage
The vicarage is situated in Forest Gardens, Lyndhurst, within easy walking distance of the village facilities. It is a four bedroom property built in the 1960’s, with double garage and secluded garden. The kitchen has recently been refurbished. The Parish Office is currently sited within the Vicarage, but consideration is being given to its relocation.

Benefice Team
There is one licensed Reader in the Benefice, and a paid part-time administrator (6 hours a week). Each church has its own Director of Music/Organist. There is a monthly benefice magazine, ‘Forest Link’.

A Lay Pastor Co-ordinator leads the Benefice team of twenty Lay Pastors, who administer home communion to individuals and residents of rest homes, as well as carrying out pastoral visits, to the bereaved, the sick, those seeking baptism for their children, the lonely, newcomers to the area, and any other needs that arise. As a team, Lay Pastors are very conscious that they go out into the community in the name of the Lord to bring comfort and hope, and to help those in need, and rarely say “no” when asked to visit or contact someone.

All working expenses are paid in full.

Education
Education is on a three tier system – Infant, Junior and Secondary, all the local schools having a reputation for both high academic achievement and good pastoral care. We have a Voluntary Aided Infant School in Lyndhurst, with 83 children on roll, aged 4 to 7. The Rector is an ex-officio member of the Governing Body and, together with the Churchwardens of Lyndhurst, is also a Trustee.

Our Place in the Deanery
We are part of the Deanery of Lyndhurst which stretches from the (sub)urban parishes of the Waterside to the East (Totton Team, Marchwood, Dibden, Hythe and Fawley), and the Forest/Coastal parishes to the South (Brockenhurst, Copythorne, Ashurst and Colbury, Sway, Boldre/South Baddesley, Hordle, Beaulieu/Exbury/East Boldre, Lymington, Pennington and Milford-on-Sea/Everton). The Deanery as a whole is currently undertaking a major review of future ministry patterns – the deployment of stipendiary clergy, NSMs, Readers and the possibility of lay stipendiary posts. As a Benefice we recognise that greater co-operation with neighbouring parishes, and the Deanery as a whole, is both desirable and essential for the good of the Gospel in all places in the coming years. We expect our new priest to be committed to this wider co-operation and to take an active role in the discussions and developments that will take place.

Ecumenical Links
We run some activities jointly with our fellow Christians from the Catholic and Baptist Church in Lyndhurst, under the heading ‘Churches Together’. An ecumenical fellowship group meets once a month in the daytime, a Toddler Service takes place monthly at St. Michael’s, and on Good Friday we organise a joint procession of the cross down Lyndhurst High Street culminating in an open air service on forest land. For the last two years we have joined together to run a one-day Fair Trade café for Christian Aid Week, in Lyndhurst Community Centre, which has proved very popular and successful.

The Parish of St Michael & All Angels, Lyndhurst

Our Vision for the Future
We are seeking ways to strengthen and sustain our church family and to engage effectively with the wider community. To this end a three-stranded Stewardship Campaign is being planned.

1. The worshipping community – to nourish spiritual development and to assess individual and collective support for the church.

1. Young People - to strengthen links with local schools and to establish relationships with youth organisations.

1. To engage with the non-worshipping community.

The Parish
The most recent census placed the population of the ecclesiastical parish at 2,611 with an average age of 47. The latter figure is not reflected in our congregation, who are mostly in a higher age group. Unemployment is low, but the annual migration rate in and out of the village is considered quite high at 10%. The main sources of employment within the parish are the Forestry Commission, the New Forest District Council and the tourist industry, with many people commuting out of Lyndhurst to work. Property is expensive, but, nevertheless, 77% of homes are owner occupied. There are also private lettings, council owned properties, social housing, second homes and holiday lets. We have a number of rest homes and units of sheltered accommodation.

The area attracts many holidaymakers, especially during the summer months. This large influx of visitors brings its blessings, but also its difficulties. A bicycle is recommended to beat the traffic jams!

There is a good sense of community, with numerous clubs and societies covering a wide variety of interests. Whilst Lyndhurst remains a village with Parish Council and Community Centre, it also possesses many of the facilities usually associated with a town. We have a large medical practice and a dental surgery and there is currently a major battle taking place to retain our cottage hospital. As befits a tourist centre there are several substantial hotels, a large number of guest houses, and an impressive variety of restaurants. The New Forest Museum and Visitor Centre are located in the central car park. The large Guiding UK Training Centre, Foxlease, is situated in Lyndhurst and at the edge of the village is a residential school for boys with behavioural difficulties.

The Church
The Church Buildings
The current church is thought to be the third that has stood on this site. It was built between 1857 and 1860 and designed by Mr William White in the early 14th century decorated style. Internally there are many examples of Victorian art and craftsmanship. The two most distinguished features are the Fresco by Frederic, Lord Leighton, and the Pre-Raphaelite windows by Burne Jones and William Morris.

Being an old church built on the top of a hill, it is subjected to the elements, and therefore its needs are on-going. Within the last ten years considerable repairs and restoration have been carried out to the Leighton fresco, facing bricks and re-pointing to the tower and spire, and the bells have been overhauled. The last quinquennial report was in 2002 and the majority of the work has been completed. With the advent of the Disability Discrimination Act, various alterations have been made.

Our Church is open every day during daylight hours.

The Parish Hall is situated opposite the Vicarage. This is used for church meetings and by a few outside organizations. It is greatly under-used and a drain on resources.

Worship
Please see appendix for service times. There are lay servers, intercessors and readers at Sunday Eucharists, and a lay group, supported by the clergy, plan and lead monthly All Age Worship. A mid-week Communion Service takes place in the Parish Hall, but Thursday evening Eucharists have been suspended during the vacancy. Monthly Toddler Services take place in St Michaels, organised by Churches Together.

The Church Community
There are 135 on the electoral roll, 32 of whom live outside the parish, with an average Sunday church attendance of 60 adults, but very few children. Attendance greatly increases at major festivals.

The PCC currently meets bi-monthly. It operates through a system of working groups, namely Pastoral and Outreach, Worship and Education, Social and Fundraising, Finance, and Fabric.

The Village School is a vibrant part of our Church family. Links between the Church and the School are strong with regular participation by each in the activities of the other. There is normally a service in church for the children and their families at the end of each term. In-school worship and RE activities have been planned by the Rector and Headteacher together. Ofsted and Diocesan reports received following the recent (January 2005) inspections commended “the welcoming, outstanding Christian ethos of the school”; described the quality of education provided as “excellent”; the behaviour of the children and the relationships between the church and school as “exemplary”, and teaching and leadership as “outstanding”. Full copies of the reports are available on request.

Social Activities
A number of social and/or fundraising events are held each year, including a Christmas Fayre and Harvest and Shrove Tuesday Suppers. These are usually well supported

Finance
St Michael’s is a large church requiring constant costly upkeep, but we are blessed with annual payments from T Mobile who rent space in the bell tower. As our congregation diminishes it is becoming increasingly difficult to pay the Parish Share, which has increased significantly over the last six years, although we recognize we have a responsibility to pay in full if we can. A financial stewardship campaign is planned for this year. Tax efficient giving is actively encouraged.


The Parish of All Saints, Minstead
Our Vision
Seeking to be Christ’s body in Minstead.

The Parish
Minstead is an affluent, good-humoured and busy village, which loves its church – but needs a lot of encouragement to attend it! It is spread over a wide area, from junction 1 of the M27 at Cadnam, to the edge of Emery Down, and over the A31 to Brook, with a total population of about 600. The smallness of the village makes for a close-knit, sharing community, but it is also creative and extrovert, and there are many groups and organisations, despite its size. The village is picturesque and very popular with tourists, with shop, church and pub at its heart. Half a mile away is a large village hall, well used by both villagers and outsiders, which also hosts a varied programme of professional entertainment throughout the year.

Minstead has no school of its own. Catchment schools are in Lyndhurst (primary), Bartley (junior), and Hounsdown (secondary). Private education is also popular. Most children travel to school by bus. Minstead Study Centre, run by Hampshire County Council, hosts residential and day trips for schools, and many local events too, teaching about rural and environmental matters.

Furzey House is a Christian retreat, situated in beautiful surroundings in Furzey Gardens, a popular tourist attraction. Minstead Training Project, at Minstead Lodge, provides education and vocational training for young people with learning difficulties and is linked to the work at Furzey. Currently, the Project looks after the grounds of the church.

Some of the villagers maintain commoning traditions, and ponies, cattle and pigs still graze the Forest around Minstead. Patronage of the parish dates from the 13th century and is vested in the current Lord of the Manor, Captain Peter Green.

Minstead Church
The Building
Minstead Church is a homely cottage-like Norman building on the site of an earlier Saxon church. Its structure tells our evolving social history, so is notably eccentric. (See Simon Jenkins’s 1000 English Churches.) It has a rare three-tier pulpit, two galleries and a pre-reformation bell. In the churchyard lies the body of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. We keep the church open every day, providing a place for prayer, reflection and peace. Minstead Church is popular with both visitors and locals, and held in great affection by the village, even by those who do not worship there.

At present we are discussing the possibility of adding toilet facilities, disabled access, and possibly a church room for worshippers and village activities.
Worship
As the only church in Minstead, we welcome worshippers from all Christian denominations. Although our tradition is Anglican our congregation includes Catholics, Methodists and Scottish Presbyterians. We include (too few) children in our general worship, but there is no ‘Sunday School’ or youth group, which we would like to see.

Numbers at Sunday services are small; on average twenty at morning Eucharist. Visitors to services often comment on the relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the church. We share leadership at services, with lay people regularly leading Ministry of the Word at Eucharistic services, assisting at communion, and leading intercessions. A worship group plans and leads ‘family’ services, although diminishing numbers are putting a considerable strain on all these groups.

The ‘Minstead Minstrels’, are an assorted band of young musicians who play for occasional services from the ‘minstrels’ gallery’. We have a small choir that sings at special services, festivals and Evensong and an enthusiastic bellringing team. This year, for the first time, a Bible study group has begun meeting regularly in the parish.
Electoral Roll and the PCC
There are currently 77 on the electoral roll. A third of these live outside the parish, so there are about 550 villagers we have failed to engage in regular worship.

PCC meets monthly, and several working groups maintain the day-to-day work of the church. These are Fabric, Finance, Mission and Outreach, Churchyard, Social & Fund Raising, Worship, Communication, and Youth & Children’s Work.

Minstead Church sends regular finance and support to a rural hospital at Mukinge in Zambia. We help homeless people in Southampton by making monthly collections of practical items such as toiletries and tinned food for Two Saints charity. We actively support Christian Aid, particularly the campaigns for debt relief and Fair Trade.

Financial State
The congregation and others give generously to support both the ministry and the fabric of the church. The parish almost meets its Parish Share obligations.

Hopes for the Future
We see the church as a fundamental part of village life and have been seeking ways to draw church and village closer together and to meet the unspoken needs of the non-worshipping community. We have hosted two large scale community events in church in recent years, held concerts and open days for the whole village, and for the last two years, with the rest of the benefice, we ran a one day fair trade café in Lyndhurst Community Centre, during Christian Aid Week, a project enthusiastically received by the wider community. We are also working on strengthening our links with the other two Christian organisations in the village, Minstead Training Project and Furzey House.

We would like to see our church growing, both in numbers of people, and in spiritual terms.
We have a varied range of services in church, but other opportunities for faith development are lacking.

We have seen a steady decline in the number of children, young people and families with whom we have regular contact as a church, partly because of the physical limitations of the church building. We need to explore ways of communicating the gospel to the village in a meaningful way.

We would like to see closer co-operation between the three parishes in the benefice. There are many areas where we might benefit from sharing ideas and resources. A review of the provision of services across the benefice would also be welcomed.


The Parish of Christ Church Emery Down
- The Villages of Bank and Emery Down
Vision
Our Vision is of a spiritual, vibrant, worshipful, caring and adaptable Church, catering for the needs of the congregation and the community it serves.
The Parish
The parish, with 52 on the electoral roll, consists of two rural villages, Bank and Emery Down, separated by the A35 main Road. Both are almost entirely private residential, and have two pubs and one shop between them. Emery Down has a group of five almshouses. There is little or no housing development. There are 367 residents of whom 213 are aged 45 or over, with 171 in employment, the majority of whom would be classed as professional/management. There is very little provision for employment within the Parish – One International Stamp Company and some casual domestic employment. Whilst some old Forest families still live in the parish the majority of people are incomers. Integration into village life is slow but most residents have a strong sense of place and the peace derived from the traditions and beauties of the forest. Ponies and stock still roam both villages. A Christmas party (Emery Down only) with local children providing entertainment on stage raises money for the Village Hall. Other fund raising events have included discos, whist drives, bingo, barn dance, etc. However the fabric of our villages is threatened by a growing trend for second homes and holiday lets.The ethnic breakdown shows 98% white, with 277 being Christian. The statistics come from the 2001 census. The shop, Pubs and the Village Hall in Emery Down are the focal/meeting points of the Parish.

The Church
Situated on a hill in a prominent position, which does present some access problems, the Church is small, capacity approximately 100, Victorian, built in 1864 by Butterfield, and endowed by Admiral Boultbee, who also donated the then Vicarage and endowed the Alms Houses. It is a listed building, and is open in daylight hours. It still has an open churchyard and garden of remembrance for the interment of ashes. The Church is considered beautiful and peaceful by our visitors and is in good repair and lovingly kept. The interior has a happy blend of traditional and modern features and decoration, including a spectacular all seasons Altar Frontal. It also has a public address and an induction loop system. The Rector and the Churchwardens are ex officio trustees of the Boultbee Cottages almshouses. At present, there are 52 on the church electoral roll.

Parish Organisations and Activities
There are occasional social activities, often linked to fund raising, (fairs, talks, slide shows, harvest supper etc.) usually held in the Village Hall and often linked with the Friends of Christ Church, an organisation of mostly non or infrequent Church goers who still value the church and want to support it. There have been two Parish days in the last three years (well attended), the second of which was organised by the laity, and there is also an annual Lent group also organised by the laity. There is traditional Carol Singing, at Christmas, around the Parish.

Financial State
We were unable to meet the amount of Parish Share requested by the Diocese in 2004, which was £15,240. As this amount was unattainable, a calculation was made using church membership as a means of apportioning the Benefice share, which resulted in a figure of £12,991, which we did manage to pay. In terms of pew person per week we paid 3.9% above the Diocesan average so we feel we are paying our way. Our current account is managing to meet our commitments as they come in and averages about £3,000. Our reserves of just over £10,000 are held in an investment account and about 70% of this dedicated to various projects.

We aim to give away 10% per cent of our Church undedicated income annually, at the current rate of approximately £150 per month, to agreed charities of the month.

Strengths
• The Welcome
• A friendly and very caring Church community
• A united congregation
• Untapped potential
• Supportive (non-attending) parish community
• Willingness to work through change following careful consultation
• A core of committed believers.

Weaknesses
• The villages are two separate communities
• The site is not easily accessible, especially considering the age profile of our congregation
• The age profile of the congregation – not entirely reflective of the age profile of the parish
• The ratio of non resident to resident worshippers; a lack of pastoral direction, (re-active rather than pro-active)
• Lack of spiritual direction; lack of opportunity to explore our faith at an informal level – e.g. house groups

What the Church needs to address
• Lack of a pastor
• Lack of spiritual energy, direction and renewal - there is a strong desire for the same
• Empty pews
• What we are not offering
• Real interaction with the communities
• The age profile of the worshipping community
• Lack of real provision for youth
• Being a ‘Sunday’ church

Those available already for this work and those who might be
• A small core of committed believers waiting to be tapped and encouraged
• Outreach group
• Trained lay pastors
• Licensed Reader
• Small group on the fringes of the Church community who would be very useful

List in order of priority work that will need the active participation of the new priest
1. lack of spiritual energy/desire for spiritual renewal
2. pastoral care
3. age profile of the church/provision for youth
4. real interaction with the communities
5. ‘Sunday Church’