Rector of Selsdon, St John the Divine

Overview

St. John the Divine –

is an inclusive, welcoming and faithful community with a rich choral tradition and a firm place within the community.  Dedicated in 1936, partly bombed in 1940 and rebuilt in 1949 our church building had a rocky start.  Eighty four years later, we are blessed with a large airy church, with a brand new adjoining garden room leading to a quiet and contemplative Garden of Remembrance.

Over the past 6 years we have been working hard at implementing our Mission Action Plan targeting Outreach, Youth and Facilities.  We have raised significant funds to build the new Garden Room, in order to improve facilities in church as well as provide a community space and we have improved links with the local community through many initiatives.

We are ready for the next steps, to formulate a new Mission Action Plan building on our progress so far ready to grow as a congregation and make a greater, more focused impact on the local community.

Introduction

Selsdon -

is a pleasant suburban community with excellent transport links to London and with the Surrey countryside on its doorstep. It is a prosperous area, gradually becoming more ethnically diverse with a population of 11,715.  Local employment is largely found in shops and businesses, schools and The De Vere Selsdon Estate (formerly Selsdon Park Hotel). The majority of those in employment commute to Croydon or London.   

There is a good mix of local shops and businesses, food outlets, a pub and micro-brewery,  a post office, and building society.  The Sainsbury's complex houses the library, community hall, Contact and Selsdon Centre for the Retired.

There are excellent local sports facilities, and a flourishing Residents’ Association who sponsor Selsdon’s Christmas lights – said to be the best in the Borough.

There are two state Primary Schools and the independent Croydon High School for Girls in the parish and a number of state and independent secondary schools in the local area, including Archbishop Tenison’s CE High School.

Selsdon has a strong sense of community and retains the village feel from its early days.

Main Responsibilities

We are poised now to take our next step in our mission to deliver God’s word and for that we need an inspirational priest who –

• has the gift to help us grow St. John’s – both as a presence in the community and by actively developing and encouraging our youth work
• will develop a pattern of worship that is sympathetic to our Eucharistic tradition but will offer fresh opportunities to attract new members of all ages
• is able to interact with all members of the congregation and wider community including the local schools
• can introduce new initiatives to encourage the spiritual growth of both longstanding and new members of the congregation.

The Ideal Candidate

Our ideal next incumbent should be -

• someone whose life is grounded in prayer
• whose spirituality is apparent, infectious, and readily communicated
• sensitively confident, enthusiastic, reliable and a balanced personality, happy and accomplished in dealing with people.
• comfortable with and easily able to relate to children and young people.

About us

St John’s congregation is largely representative of the parish with a reputation of being a welcoming church. The congregation is very supportive of their parish priest – taking on many organisational, pastoral and administrative responsibilities.

Worship at St John’s is centred around the Eucharist, which is celebrated in the liberal  catholic tradition, supported by a strong traditional church choir, servers and lay readers/intercessors.

St John’s has a large cohort of volunteers, an active social committee organising harvest suppers, quiz nights, trips, barbecues and fairs. The well-appointed Hall is ably run by a small committee and is a significant source of income.  We have an excellent parish administrator, skilled in social media who helps to advertise our services and initiatives.

Over the past few years our mission has been to improve links with the local community through many initiatives, including our very popular Mother and Toddler Groups, Messy Church, Parish newsletter, Quiet Christmas (for those recently bereaved), the very popular Christmas Concert and a comprehensive Christmas and Easter package of services. We have also raised significant funds to build the new Garden Room, in order to improve facilities in church as well as provide a community space.

We are looking for someone who can help us explore where our future possibilities lie;  our hopes and aspirations for the future to make St. John’s a destination and community …….

•          where people in distress or on the outside of comfortable society can find peace, comfort and compassion.

•          where we can all grow spiritually.

•          where people can find faith, and see faith alive in those around them.

•          where people experience the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Closing Date: Saturday 30 January 2021

Parish Visit & Interviews:  Wednesday 17 March 2021