About Us
Who We Are
Our mission is to build community by loving God and serving others.
BUILD COMMUNITY
Our community is growing and through our church community we’re with our village residents all the way. We want to be at the centre of The Claydons’ heartbeat offering relevant services, support and providing activities fully meeting local needs pastorally with support for bereaved families.
LOVING GOD
Our vision is to become energised by faith with an outward looking focus through our regular prayers for the community. We want to experience more of God’s love, connect with life by going deeper with God and grow in and share our faith with all in our community and beyond. We host weekly prayers on Fridays and Worship evenings monthly.
SERVING OTHERS
We want to deeply root ourselves in our villages and partnerships, connect between faith and daily living for mission and respond to local needs through loving service. We host weekly events for all members of our community including Tuesday and Thursday Clubs in collaboration with Age UK, Cream Teas, and Film Night. We have well stocked food and toiletries cupboards for the community.
MISSION ACTION PLAN OBJECTIVES
1. To become a welcoming Christ-like church (Compassionate, Courageous and Contemplative)
2. To resource pastoral care for church members and village residents
3. To build Missionary and Outreach work with Diocesan partnership
4. To increase collaboration with Buckinghamshire Council and local community groups
5. To increase our church buildings’ community use
6. To be good stewards and guardians of resources in our care.
What We Believe
Belief in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit is at the heart of our faith. Christians believe that Jesus is God’s Son. Jesus reveals to us that God is our Father, and that God is available to us through the Holy Spirit.
You won’t ever be asked if you completely understand all this. But you are asked whether you believe and trust. This is called faith. It is a different sort of knowledge. It is the knowledge of being known and loved, and of loving in return.
As Christians, we believe the full purpose of our lives is to praise God. As we do so we begin to recognize more and more that everything comes from God and to feel even more thankful and full of praise.
Worship helps us to recognise who God really is, it opens our hearts to what is good. It catches us up into the life of heaven. It is something we are called to every day of our lives and is fulfilled, among other ways, when we say the Lord’s Prayer.
We believe that love is at the heart of God’s will for our lives – love for God and love for others.
Jesus was once asked to name the greatest commandment. His reply – known as the ‘Summary of the Law’ – was this:
The first commandment is this:
‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
There is no other commandment greater than these.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Loving God and loving neighbour belong together, and the best, most fruitful life is lived in loving communion with God our Creator, as well as with our fellow human beings.
History
The Parish of the Claydons comprises three churches: St Michael’s in Steeple Claydon, St Mary’s in East Claydon, All Saints in Middle Claydon and Cafe Church in Calvert Green. The Parish is one of eight parishes in the Claydon and Swan Team Ministry, the Claydons Deanery and Archdeaconry of Buckingham within the Diocese of Oxford.
The Claydons’ villages are based in the Aylesbury Vale District of Buckinghamshire, England. It is nearly three miles south-west of Winslow, 15 miles north of Aylesbury and around 10 miles south of Bicester.
The name Claydon is and derives from the old Anglo Saxon English: clægig + dun meaning ‘clay hill’, and Steeple from the steep hill around which the village is built. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and lists Queen Edith, wife of Edward the Confessor as the holder of the Manor. It had at that time, a population of 360. The population grew gradually over the years until the 2001 census records the number of people of 2375. In the Middle Ages, the Claydons were a stopping point between London and Banbury. During the Civil War, Cromwell garrisoned his troops here before attacking the Royalists troops at Hillesden House, It has been reported Cromwell spent the night at the Manor House, and his troops on the site of Camp House.
The affix ‘East’ is used to differentiate East Claydon village from nearby Steeple Claydon and Middle Claydon, and from the hamlet of Botolph Claydon that lies within the parish of East Claydon.
St Michael’s, Steeple Claydon
The Parish of the Claydons comprises three churches: St Michael’s in Steeple Claydon, St Mary’s in East Claydon, All Saints in Middle Claydon and Cafe Church in Calvert Green. The Parish is one of eight parishes in the Claydon and Swan Team Ministry, the Claydons Deanery and Archdeaconry of Buckingham within the Diocese of Oxford.
The Claydons’ villages are based in the Aylesbury Vale District of Buckinghamshire, England. It is nearly three miles south-west of Winslow, 15 miles north of Aylesbury and around 10 miles south of Bicester.
The name Claydon is and derives from the old Anglo Saxon English: clægig + dun meaning ‘clay hill’, and Steeple from the steep hill around which the village is built. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and lists Queen Edith, wife of Edward the Confessor as the holder of the Manor. It had at that time, a population of 360. The population grew gradually over the years until the 2001 census records the number of people of 2375. In the Middle Ages, the Claydons were a stopping point between London and Banbury. During the Civil War, Cromwell garrisoned his troops here before attacking the Royalists troops at Hillesden House, It has been reported Cromwell spent the night at the Manor House, and his troops on the site of Camp House.
The affix ‘East’ is used to differentiate East Claydon village from nearby Steeple Claydon and Middle Claydon, and from the hamlet of Botolph Claydon that lies within the parish of East Claydon.
St Mary’s, East Claydon
The church is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. The church is situated in a unique position on the top of Sion Hill with nothing between it and the splendid view over Aylesbury Vale. It is visible from whichever way is approached.
The first Rector recorded is named as Richard Hanley and was presented by Geoffrey de Clayton (or Claydon) in 1218. The list of Rectors / Vicars on the south wall of the Nave, which also shows their presentors, gives us some interesting glimpses of history – how the last Rector, Robert de Bodington, was presented in 1369 by John, Lord Grey of Rothersfield who later granted licence to the Convent of Bisham in Oxfordshire to appropriate the church in 1372.
Three years later the Convent was granted permission by the Bishop of Lincoln to appropriate the living to their Monks. They presented the first Vicar, John Cryps, in 1421. In 1500, we find the presentation made by the Prior of St John of Jerusalem, who retained it until the Dissolution. In 1551 William King leased the estate from Lord Clinton, to whom it had been granted and described as “William King”, Citizen and Bocher (butcher) made the presentation in that year. However, by the time he presented again in 1562 , he had become William King, gent! Thereafter, it passed by grant of lease until 1726 when it was conveyed to the Hon, Ralph Verney. In 1752, when he succeeded as Earl Verney, the Vicarage was joined to the Rectory of Middle Claydon. The patronage has remained in the Verney Family and is now vested in Sir Edmund Verney, Bart.
All Saints, Middle Claydon
The church is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. The church is situated in a unique position on the top of Sion Hill with nothing between it and the splendid view over Aylesbury Vale. It is visible from whichever way is approached.
The first Rector recorded is named as Richard Hanley and was presented by Geoffrey de Clayton (or Claydon) in 1218. The list of Rectors / Vicars on the south wall of the Nave, which also shows their presentors, gives us some interesting glimpses of history – how the last Rector, Robert de Bodington, was presented in 1369 by John, Lord Grey of Rothersfield who later granted licence to the Convent of Bisham in Oxfordshire to appropriate the church in 1372.
Three years later the Convent was granted permission by the Bishop of Lincoln to appropriate the living to their Monks. They presented the first Vicar, John Cryps, in 1421. In 1500, we find the presentation made by the Prior of St John of Jerusalem, who retained it until the Dissolution. In 1551 William King leased the estate from Lord Clinton, to whom it had been granted and described as “William King”, Citizen and Bocher (butcher) made the presentation in that year. However, by the time he presented again in 1562 , he had become William King, gent! Thereafter, it passed by grant of lease until 1726 when it was conveyed to the Hon, Ralph Verney. In 1752, when he succeeded as Earl Verney, the Vicarage was joined to the Rectory of Middle Claydon. The patronage has remained in the Verney Family and is now vested in Sir Edmund Verney, Bart.
Safeguarding
The Church of England Parish of the Claydons, Buckingham, Diocese of Oxford, is committed to the implementation of the Diocese of Oxford’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures. And, the relevant statutory legislation and guidance for the welfare, safeguarding, care and nurture of the children, young people and vulnerable adults across all churches, Café Church and meeting locations within our community.
We want to encourage an environment where all people and especially those who may be vulnerable are able to worship and pursue their faith journey with encouragement and in safety.
Policy
The following policy was agreed at the Parochial Church Council (PCC) meeting held on 23rd May 2019 and is refreshed each year thereafter at the Annual Parochial Council Meeting. In accordance with the Church of England Safeguarding Policy of October 2018 (as amended), the Parish of the Claydons is committed to:
- Promoting a safer environment and culture;
- Safely recruiting and supporting all those with any responsibility related to children, young people and vulnerable adults within the church;
- Responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation;
- Caring pastorally for victims/survivors of abuse and other affected persons;
- Caring pastorally for those who are the subject of concerns or allegations of abuse and other affected persons;
- Responding to those that may pose a present risk to others.
The Parish will:
- Create a safe and caring place for all;
- Have a named Parish Safeguarding Officer (PSO) to work with the incumbent and the PCC to implement policy and procedures;
- Safely recruit, train and support all those with any responsibility for children, young people and adults to have the confidence and skills to recognise and respond to abuse;
- Ensure that there is appropriate insurance cover for all activities involving children and adults undertaken in the name of the parish;
- Display in church premises and on the Parish website the details of who to contact if there are safeguarding concerns or support needs (see links)
- Listen to and take seriously all those who disclose abuse;
- Take steps to protect children and adults when a safeguarding concern of any kind arises, following House of Bishops guidance, including notifying the Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser (DSA) and statutory agencies immediately;
- Offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred;
- Care for and monitor any member of the church community who may pose a risk to children and adults whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and the safety of all parties;
- Ensure that health and safety policy, procedures and risk assessments are in place and that these are reviewed annually; and,
- Review the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, Procedures and Practices annually.
Each person who works within this church community will agree to abide by this policy and the guidelines established by this church.
Parish Safeguarding Policy Statements
Every year, the Parochial Church Council (PCC) agree the Parish Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy Statement, displaying a copy in the three Churches and forwarding a copy to the Diocesan Safeguarding Office for their records.
Parish Safeguarding Representatives
The PCC will appoint a minimum of one Safeguarding Link Representative who will be responsible on behalf of the incumbent and PCC for implementing the Claydons and Swan Team’s and Diocesan policy in respect of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. The Parish Safeguarding Link Representative agrees to undertake the key responsibilities of the role in liaison with the Parish Safeguarding Officer as outlined in the Diocesan Safeguarding Guide.
Contacts
Parish Safeguarding Officer:
Julia Cook
01296 738810
juliacook@waitrose.com
Local Authority Social Services:
01296 387915
If there is immediate risk or danger, please contact police on 101