Around the Deaneries: Wendover

Vital Statistics: Area Dean: Mark DearnleyLay Chair: Gavin OldhamClergy: 20Churches: 20Benefices: 9 I meet the Revd Mark Dearnley and the Revd Michael Hunt, the Curate at St Mary's, Wendover, in the town where we talk about the deanery over a coffee.

Mark became the Area Dean in 2006 and nine years on he's still overseeing the largely rural deanery that sits near to Aylesbury.

The main urban areas are Wendover itself, Great Missenden, Stoke Mandeville and Prestwood.

The Revd Mark Dearnley. "A lot of the outlying places are really quite small.

Halton has a population of around 200 and Cholesbury is really small," says Mark.

"My role as Area Dean is about being as supportive and encouraging as I can.

That means supporting people through Mission Action Plans. "I think one of the advantages of the many churches around here is that because they are seen as important features of the local community they have an open door to community relations.

They are not like churches in a big, urban context where you have to work quite hard working out what your role is.

It's about listening, and journeying through rites of passage.

It's usual for churches to improve their facilities to make themselves more useful as a resource," says Mark, who has overseen a refurbishment at St Mary's, which is now used as a concert venue, among other community events. When Mark first arrived in Wendover, St Mary's Church was setting up a Fairtrade shop, which takes pride of place on the High Street. It is nestled within the many charity shops and people mistakenly walk in regularly with black bags filled with unwanted possessions.

With the church slightly removed from the town centre, the shop provides a central Christian presence and an office. "We launched the shop 10 years ago when Fairtrade was de rigueur.

It's main aim is outreach rather than financial success, but it did make a surplus of funds last year. " The shop window display is changed regularly to keep passers-by interested. St Mary's itself is used every day for an activity and has become a popular community venue.

I met Mark and Michael in the town simply because a U3A meeting was taking place in the church.

At the same time, a group of hard working volunteers were tidying up the churchyard.

"I think the church being open is very important.

We had a deliberate policy, when we planned our refurbishment, to let the community know it is their God, faith and church," says Mark. So what are the challenges facing the Deanery?"Attendance on Sunday mornings is hugely variable and we are just heading into the holiday season when it feels more unpredictable.

We can't compete with rugby, cricket and football really and we offer something different for those who aren't sporty.

It's really difficult and I do sympathise with the many different activities people are pulled around by," says Mark. Another challenge is the planned HS2 trainline as the route runs straight through the deanery.

"So many churches are affected in one way or another," says Mark. I ended my visit with a tour of the huge churchyard at St Mary's, seeing the busy volunteers at work, and the U3A members about to leave after an interesting morning. A more flexible worship space at Holy TrinityA LIGHT, fresh church building is set to be the result of a half a million pound re-ordering project at Holy Trinity Prestwood.

A legacy left to the church seven years ago, plus fundraising, has provided money for the project to put in under floor heating, replace the floor, paint and decorate the building, install a kitchen and loo, and buy a new audio visual system. Pews are being removed to make way for three seater benches and chairs, designed by a company that is also producing a new, moveable altar. The Revd Deiniol Heywood, the Rector, says: "We want to be able to do much more liturgically and have a nice flexible space that enables us to have all kinds of events.

We are seriously thinking about starting a film club.

We are having new lighting put in, which will change the feel of the church.

Our 1930s light fittings hang down and ruin the feel of the architecture.

It has been quite a dark and gloomy space, but this will make it lighter and fresher. "The £70,000 uprade in Great HampdenA GRADE One listed church that is a popular venue for weddings in rural Buckinghamshire has benefitted from a £70,000 upgrade. St Mary Magdalene, Great Hampden, just celebrated its 795th anniversary with a new building which includes a toilet and a store room. "It's a beautiful medieval church in a field two miles away from the village.

It is as rural as you can get in Buckinghamshire.

It had electricity, but no water before the work," says Deiniol Heywood, the Rector.

"It didn't have a loo, we were totally reliant on Hampden House nearby. "Balancing prison and parishThe Revd Sue Smith on her work as a curate in both a parish and a prison. It was both with excitement and trepidation that I embarked on my deacon's role following my ordination on the 4 July this year.

When the enormity of that day had passed, I secretly wondered how juggling a part-parish, part-prison curacy might work alongside normal family life.

I also wondered if my passion for prison work would be matched equally by a passion for the work of the parish.

The Revd Sue Smith It is early days of course but so far I can honestly say that my worries were unfounded.

It is the variety of work in this dual capacity that I am finding so thrilling.

My work may involve at any one time chatting to young offenders (HMYOI Aylesbury) about their struggles with prison life, and in another moment talking to those in a residential home for the elderly as they try to adjust to life in community. Since becoming a deacon, my activities have included: engaging in multi-faith dialogue, attending a deanery event and a PCC day away, Morning Prayer, experiencing hospital visiting, arranging an informal healing service for a young man who is sick, and preached at both the prison (HMP Grendon) and in the parish (Weston Turville. ) All this takes a good deal of time and I hope I will be able to maintain a balance between these two roles, always bearing in mind the importance of my own family life and ensuring time off.

Learning to say 'no' may be a discipline I will at some point need to adopt. One aspect I have so far found particularly rewarding and exciting has been my introduction to the deacon's role in Eucharistic services.

Although I have been a member of a church for more years than I care to remember I have never experienced involvement in the administration of Communion in a higher tradition.

I am encountering and experiencing the diversity of worship of the Church of England. Overall, to be able to journey with people through the ups and downs of life, be that in either the prison or parish setting, I consider an enormous privilege.

Despite feeling constantly out of my comfort zone I thank God every day that he has called me, and, most importantly, that he equips me and enables me in all situations I face.

I am recognising that such a balance will only be maintained if I put prayer before all things.

That, I think, is the biggest challenge of all for me.