Our Congregation

We are an enthusiastic, positive and open-minded lot in Norbury, an average of 11 people come to each of the three services held monthly. The services themselves reflect the range of worship preferred by our congregation- from simple quiet reflection to occasional activity- based worship. The churchwarden and a PCC member have professional leadership experience and lead one of the services monthly.

We have tried to make our space a place where people feel welcomed and respected. Refreshments are provided after services to encourage social interchange and we plan to remove more pews to allow for increased activity in the space we have. We regularly host a number of free events, some based on Christian festivals such as switching on Christmas lights and others like barbecues and concerts, simply a way of reaching out to local people and having a good time together.

The church is well supported financially via the Parish Giving Scheme and offers a credit card facility for congregants and visitors. In essence this is a community in which the church physically and emotionally lies at its heart. The influence of congregation members is substantial and major village events in the past have been planned by and emerged from ideas formed by church members.

Our Parish

The parish consists of a village and two hamlets: Norbury which has a population of approximately 50 and Whitcott and Hardwick which combined add a further 20. The Parish

works well as a community. The newly built Village Hall lies within Norbury, and hosts the local playgroup, the WI and numerous activities such as the very successful community choir and Flicks in the Sticks.

The local primary school lies in the parish. It has a school roll of 90 or so and attracts children from a wide area. It is very well supported by parents who run a number of popular fundraising activities, like the Batch Burner mountain bike event and hold services in our building to celebrate Harvest etc. Residents have a very strong connection to both their area and their neighbours; this was evident during lockdown (and continues to this day), where food was prepared, and support provided for those who were ill or at risk of feeling isolated.

Our Church Building

The church building sits at the heart of Norbury Village and is a Norman chapel restored in Victorian times with a small chancel addition. Only the tower is original being 12th century. It is a simple country church with a magnificent ancient yew in the churchyard.

The interior has a quiet prayerful calm, a sense of Eternity which reflects the care taken over

its maintenance and the years of worship it has witnessed. The churchyard is well cared for by local volunteers, And the tower home to annual visits by numerous swifts.

Our Vision for Growth

Both the building and the Church are ideally positioned for growth, with the new Village Hall and the school's increasing popularity sources of hope. We want to ensure our new rector has experience of and enthusiasm for rural life, capable of supporting lay leadership in worship and

action in the community. We look for a person who understands the challenges facing local people of all ages and who will facilitate action to deal with them.