A N

  I N T R O D U C T I O N   F R O M   S O N N I N G  
D E A N E R Y  
The  new  parish  and  benefice  of  Finchampstead  and  California  is  one  of  the  family  of  parishes  
making  up  the  Deanery  of  Sonning.  This  will  now  comprise  thirteen  benefices  with  twenty-­‐
five  worship  centres.  The  parish  churches  in  the  towns  of  Wokingham  and  Sandhurst;  and  in  
the  larger  villages  of  Crowthorne,  Finchampstead,  Sonning  (with  Charvil),  Twyford  &  
Ruscombe,  and  Wargrave  with  Knowl  Hill  are  the  largest  church  communities  in  the  deanery  
each  having  electoral  rolls  greater  than  200  people.  This  is  true  also  of  the  benefice  of  
Arborfield  &  Barkham,  which  attracts  an  eclectic  congregation  from  a  wider  area  than  its  
local  community.  

The  current  Sonning  Deanery  Mission  Plan  (2010-­‐  2015)  recognises  the  need  to  engage  with  
evolving  demographic  and  lifestyle  patterns  in  order  to  move  forward  in  mission,  reflecting  
that  the  nature  of  community  has  changed  and  is  changing.  

Parishes  are  encouraged  and  supported,  by  the  Diocese  of  Oxford,  to  work  collaboratively  
both  within  and  across  parishes,  in  order  to  be  able  to  meet  the  challenges  of  mission  in  
today’s  complex  communities.  Parish  ministry  teams  of  lay  and  ordained  are  encouraged  to  
develop  a  “mixed  economy”  of  ministry  and  mission  approaches,  i.e.  of  traditional  church  
and  emerging  church.  

The  Deanery  of  Sonning,  through  its  Synod,  aims  to  support  the  development  of  parish  
ministry  teams  by  creating  opportunities  for  training,  for  the  sharing  of  good  practice,  and  
for  the  effective  use  of  resources  both  stipendiary  and  non-­‐stipendiary.    The  Deanery  seeks  
to  encourage  and  support  parishes  to  work  and  learn  together  in  growing  and  equipping  lay  
Christians  for  leadership.  Regular  prayer  by  parishes  for  one  another  is  encouraged  through  
a  Deanery  Prayer  Cycle.  

Clergy  meet  in  Chapter  on  a  monthly  basis  and  there  is  a  Greater  Chapter  gathering  of  all  
licensed  ministers  and  other  ministry  practitioners  in  the  Deanery  with  a  high  profile  speaker  
at  least  annually.  

Parishes  are  encouraged  and  supported  by  the  Deanery  to  prioritise  the  evangelism  and  
nurture  of  children  and  young  people,  working  collaboratively  and  creatively  in  effective  and  
appropriate  ways.  

Area  Dean  
The  Reverend  Canon  David  Hodgson  
Rector  of  Wokingham,  All  Saints.