The Wider Church

Benefice

Bakewell Parish Church is part of a combined benefice of five Anglican churches all sharing the same vicar, The Revd Canon Tony Kaunhoven.

The other churches in the benefice are:

Holy Trinity, Ashford in the Water

Church Street, Ashford in the Water DE45 1QG

2 miles NW of Bakewell

St Katherine’s, Rowsley

Church Lane, Rowsley, Nr Matlock DE4 2EA

3 miles SE of Bakewell

St Anne’s, Over Haddon

Dale Road, Over Haddon DE45 1JE

2 miles SW of Bakewell

St Michael and All Angels, Sheldon

Church Lane, Sheldon DE45 1QS

3 miles W of Bakewell

Details of forthcoming services in the benefice can be found here

Mission and Ministry Area

Since 2003 Church leaders in Derby Diocese have been working together to realise a vision for revitalising the way in which churches serve communities throughout Derbyshire. The Renewing Ministry proposals asked churches to work in partnership to serve groups of parishes called Mission and Ministry Areas or MMAs.

The MMA of which Bakewell Parish Church is a member consists of 18 churches. It was inaugurated on Pentecost Sunday 2008 during which the Bishop of Repton commissioned the Revd Tony Kaunhoven as the MMA Area Vicar, in addition to his existing responsibilities as Vicar of Bakewell and Over Haddon, Ashford in the Water, Sheldon and Rowsley.

Representatives from all of the member churches serve on an Area Council. Tony’s role is to oversee the life of the MMA, inspiring and enabling the churches to explore a vision for working together. The MMA Council is both a think tank and a planning and co-ordinating group, helping to oversee the vision for the delivery of ministry and the support for each church’s ministry and mission.

The MMA is organic, rather than imposed. Perhaps for a while some people will be unaware that they are part of such a thing! This may be no bad thing: it has more chance of succeeding if it adapts to what is needed. And it cherishes the different practices and traditions of the eighteen church communities that make it up.

The MMA exists to support and help the churches individually and collectively to thrive and grow in promoting the Gospel – the Gospel that enables us to live with delight, and encourages us to do all we can to enable everyone else to do likewise.

Prayer for Renewing Ministry
Gracious Father,
by your holy and life-giving Spirit
open our eyes to your vision,
and strengthen our commitment to your service;
that the ministry of your Church may be renewed
and its mission be made more effective,
to the glory of your Son
Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Map of the Benefice and MMA

Church of England

Bakewell, the benefice and MMA are part of the Diocese of Derby.

The Bishop of Derby is the Right Reverend Libby Lane.

The Derby Diocese also has a Suffragan Bishop who is the Bishop-designate of Repton the Right Reverend Malcolm Macnaughton.

The Diocese of Derby is part of the Church of England.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Most Reverend Justin Welby.

The Church of England is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Other Churches

The original Association of Bakewell Christians was formed in 1966 by lay members of the Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic and Quaker communities in Bakewell who had the vision to see opportunities for co-operation and united witness in the town.

The statement of purpose was:

We are an association of Christians of all the churches in Bakewell, who are praying and working for unity, and wherever possible bearing witness in unity.

In the spring of 2018 a vision day was held to look at our future working together and to reflect our continuing partnership. ABC is now known as Bakewell Churches Together and we are still committed to collaborating and worshipping together to further the mission and ministry of God’s Church in Bakewell.