Minster Community Overview 

Noreen Mewies, a member of our PCC, Lay Chair of our Deanery and a member of the minster community coordinating group for the local area has written a short overview of the Minster community vision and where we are in the Minster Community Process. 

Noreen has written at the request of the PCC Standing Committee (which consists of our Vicar, Tim Phillips; Wardens, Phill Taber and Rachael Bull; Treasurer, Ian Johnson and Secretary, Charlotte Day). Noreen is idealy placed to give us an overview of where things stand in this ongoing process within the Diocese of Leicester. 

If you have questions about the Minster Community Process we will have time set aside at our Annual Parochial Church meeting. It would be helpful if questions could be provided in advance by emailing our PCC Secretary, Charlotte Day using pcc-secretary@trinityashby.net. 

Noreen writes:

Minster Community is the name given by the Diocese of Leicester to a group of parishes who work together in mission, without losing their identity, and who work closely with their church schools, fresh expressions of church, and chaplaincies.

The intention is to strengthen local churches so they can better serve their own communities. The aim is to lift the administrative burden and fully integrate the work of churches, schools and households in growing faith.

The first meetings were to facilitate parish representatives meeting together to decide which Minster Community each parish would belong to, and to find out a little of what was already happening in each parish.  

Maps of the area were studied, looking at new housing developments, where the schools were located, and the roads connecting parishes, such as the A42, A511, and A512. 

For the time being, we are known as Area 2A. This area includes the parishes of Castle Donington, Lockington, and Hemington, the Flagstaff Family of Churches, the Woodfield Team, Blackfordby and Woodville, and Ibstock and Heather, but there is still some flexibility. 

A Coordinating group was formed from parish representatives who met together at the St Helen’s Community Heritage Centre in Ashby de la Zouch. Each group was tasked with looking at different areas of work, ministry, finance, buildings etc, this information was summarised and is currently being used by a Proposal Writing Group (a sub group of the Coordinating group) to come up with a first draft proposal of how the parishes might work together. 

We have also been tasked with suggesting a name for our Minster Community. This name must be of local significance and rooted in the area.

Once complete, this will go to the PCCs and the Joint Archdeaconry Mission Committee for discussion and any changes. The final draft will, once approved, go to the Bishop and Trustee Board for formal approval. 


Noreen Mewies
Lay Chair of North West Leicestershire Deanery and Minster Community Area 2A Coordinating Group member.