Many rural and smaller congregations are grouped into multi-parish benefices where several parishes share clergy, and resources. Each church maintains its own identidy, but they come together to support one another and serve the wider community. Here Gillian Smith from St Michael & All Angels, East Coker, shares the joys and challenges of living and worshipping in a multi-parish benefice.
The Coker Ridge Benefice comprises of seven parishes, ranging from larger villages with 1500+ population to small settlements of less than 100 people. They are all rural but in many ways all different to each other. A challenge is finding an identity for the whole while maintaining each individual character.
An important unifying factor is our Rector, who ensures that he celebrates Holy Communion in each of the churches at least once a month. The Benefice is also fortunate to have the help and support of three retired clergy, a Reader and four Lay Worship Assistants, all of whom are very willing to lead services in any of the parishes. This is a great strength of the Benefice providing continuity and familiarity whichever church is attended.
One of the challenges of the Benefice is to encourage united fellowship within the seven parishes. If there is worship in my parish church, am I disloyal if I go to another service?
Most parishioners have a loyalty to their own parish church and some will not venture beyond. The feeling of belonging to a particular church and community is strong and fulfilling and cannot be denied in the move towards a larger Benefice structure. However, the getting to know and becoming part of other church communities, with a common purpose and led by the same people, leads to a widening of Christian fellowship and worship, which is very rewarding and enables a deepening of ties to the church as a whole, superseding the parochial.
How often should each congregation expect a service, either clergy-led or lay-led in their parish church? How can pastoral care be undertaken given the demands of time and personnel. The inclusion of lay ministry adds greatly to the life of the church within the Benefice but is not always appreciated, especially by those outside the church family. These are questions that find answers as the Benefice grows in confidence with good leadership.
When there is a 5th Sunday in the month, the Benefice unites in a single act of worship. Once a year Coker Ridge holds an outdoor Benefice service, because the small church in that parish cannot hold all the people. This is a very special occasion with an altar of straw bales and bird song adding to the people’s singing, giving glory to God in the midst of His creation. The congregation is unanimous in praise of the fellowship and joy in the worship.
The challenge and joy of a Benefice is to bring people together throughout the year to feel part of a fellowship which has seven parts but one whole.