This is a text-only version of an article first published on Friday, 15 November 2013. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
WYCOMBE is a large and diverse deanery, mixing the large town of High Wycombe with rural parishes and benefices.
Below are a variety of stories from around the deanery. Where would Jesus be? THE Revd Alison Finch (right) is passionate about the Church reaching out to
The Revd Alison Finch meet people in the community.
Which is why her role as co-ordinator of a team of six chaplains in the centre of High Wycombe is perfectly suited to her.
She recently took over from the Revd Nicky Skipworth and combines the chaplaincy role with being the vicar of St James's Church, Downley and a missioner at All Saints in the town centre. "It's a lot to do, but I'm up for a challenge," says Alison, who thoroughly enjoys getting out and about, following the example of Jesus by getting alongside people where they are.
"I have the best of both worlds really.
I didn't have a specific worship place in Colchester, where I have come from, to call my own, although I was associate priest of two town centre churches.
Here I have my own church so I'm centred and based somewhere. "The thing for me is meeting people who have never been near a church and may have preconceived ideas about what church is about.
I feel passionate that the church should be out more in the community and workplace chaplaincy fills that role.
We are not waiting for people to come to us on a Sunday morning.
We are out there with the workers during the week.
We provide a shoulder to cry on and a listening ear.
I truly believe that is where the church should be.
Jesus told us we should go out.
He was the first workplace chaplain, going out among the tax collectors and fishermen. "Jesus told us we should go out. . . " ;"When I go and meet people in shops and offices I'm often the first 'vicar' they have met, so what they see and how I behave is important, it's quite a responsible place to be in.
I could put them off church for life depending on how I deal with situations. "High Wycombe is a bigger town than Colchester and from what Alison has seen so far, is more multi cultural.
"I've had experience of people of different faiths so I'm not too worried about that," she says.
"I'm looking forward to getting involved and working with people of other faiths.
Everyone has been so friendly and helpful.
My neighbours in Downley, are Muslims and just after we arrived at the vicarage, they came to welcome us with open arms, wanting to make us feel at home. "It's good to be back in the Oxford Diocese, I feel as though I've come home," says Alison, who has previously worked in churches in Banbury and Wokingham.
Costa Emmaus
by Sarah Fitzgerald
SEVEN new small groups were formed and four people were baptised and/or confirmed following an Emmaus Course held in Marlow's Costa Coffee.
The 10-week course ran from January to March but the church hall was not available as it was booked up with Zumba and Pilates.
We ended up approaching the management at Costa, which has a large upstairs area.
They were very happy to open for us in the evening as long as they took sufficient sales.
The venue gave the course a relaxed and sociable atmosphere and 50 people signed up.
To encourage relationships people were allocated to groups which they sat with each week for discussions as well as presentations from the front.
One of the aims of the course was to look to establish some small groups, which are still running.
Many people commented the course had helped them to reflect on their faith and given them greater confidence in talking about it to others.
Sarah Fitzgerald is Team Vicar in the Marlow Area Team Ministry. Drugproof your kids A COURSE to help parents ensure teenagers understand the dangers of drugs is being held at Christ Church, Flackwell Heath. The church recently began running parenting courses and the Drug Proof Your Kids course, from Care for the Family, grew out of that.
"It's exciting if not a little scary because you start opening up a world you might not want to know about," said the Revd Chris Bull.
"We talk to the police and you realise that while it's a nice community, if you dig below the surface a little bit there are all sorts of things going on.
It's about giving parents some good tools. "Police come and talk about the local scene and Bucks Ad Action have provided some support as well.
They are licensed to bring in a supply of drugs.
It's helping parents realise not just what's going on with their children but what's going on in the world. " He said the church is working alongside social services and local schools. Jackie Chalmers, whose children are 13 and 16, occasionally does cover work in the Flackwell Heath church office.
She said: "I'm aware that there is a drug situation in Flackwell Heath.
The course gave me more information than I knew already.
I was already doing some things right but there is always room for improvement on communication skills. "We have always been very open with our children, spoken to them and listened to them.
My husband and I aren't drinkers, although we occasionally have a glass of wine here and there.
The children have always been taught it is okay as an odd treat but not the sort of thing you want to be doing all the time and as for drugs don't try it as that's when you get hooked. "It's about good parenting, being there for your children and asking how they are getting on, what the highlight of their day has been and if anything is upsetting them.
We make sure they are high on our list of priorities.
People have inundated lives and it is easy to dismiss your children, but we like to make space for them. "Sunday is a Funday by John WigramFUNDAY Sunday started as a way of attracting baptism families children from the nearby primary school to church in Medmenham.
It's a monthly all-age service billed as 'church with a difference', with a flexible format and plenty of activity, aiming to appeal through fun and thoughtfulness. We wanted to ensure children didn't need to be 'shhh'ed' and newcomers were welcomed. We advertised in the school and community, and were delighted to have three times the usual congregation at our first service. We have now been going for 3 years and the service is easily our largest of the month.
We have a number of families who come regularly as well the original 'pre-Funday' congregation. Bible readings are illustrated and learnt from in fun and off-the-wall ways. Action songs are real favourites, children joining in effortlessly while the adults take days to recover - St.
Paul never realised that 'wide and long and high and deep' would keep so many people fit!We have found that numbers go down as well as up, and there were times when we wondered if it was 'working', but by 18 months in we had a stable and regular congregation - although they often arrive at the last minute! We keep things simple and low tech - laptop and projector got too fussy in a church with pews - and we even use the organ. The Revd John Wigram is Rector of the Hambleden Valley Benefice.