Vicar of St Laurence, Hawkhurst

Introduction

 Vicar of Hawkhurst

Christ Church, Oxford, as patron, and the Bishop of Dover seek to appoint a priest as Vicar of St Laurence, Hawkhurst in the Diocese of Canterbury.

We are looking for a Vicar with a deep pastoral presence who is able to bridge generations, speak to lifelong churchgoers and those exploring “coming to church”, as well as someone who does not treat tradition as something to preserve unchanged but as something to build upon.

About Us

St Laurence, Hawkhurst is a faithful and friendly congregation committed to the Anglican Church and keen to grow in prayer and numbers. We are a single-parish benefice under the patronage of Christ Church, Oxford, offering a warm welcome, strong foundations and great opportunities for mission and ministry in a thriving village.   

We are seeking to engage more with children and young people, grow our prayer life, deepen our links with the local community, schools and village organisations, and develop St Laurence as a community and social hub.

We are looking for a Vicar who:

• Has a deep pastoral presence and is visible and available
• Is patient and attentive
• Shows consideration for our Church’s heritage and music, but importantly does not treat tradition on as something to preserve unchanged but as something to build upon.
• Is able to bridge generation, being able to speak to lifelong churchgoers and those exploring ‘coming to church’.
• Is able to communicate faith in everyday language.
• Is able to bring about change slowly and intentionally and build consensus within the PCC and congregation.

We would like someone who understands family life, young adults and modern pressures, is open to new forms of engagement and can engage entry points to the church through everyday encounters in the community and also through discussion groups.

The key for us is for our new Vicar to:

• Be a visible local figure
• Enhance relationships with schools, local groups and village life more generally.
• Help us to develop the church as a community and social hub.

 Whoever takes up this post will be warmly welcomed into the life and support structures of the Diocese of Canterbury. Every Incumbent and Priest in Charge is accompanied through the Canterbury Diet, our framework for sustaining healthy, effective ministry — including regular pastoral supervision, a spiritual accompanier, and a structured Ministry Training Programme in the early years of ministry.

The priest appointed to this role must be ordained in the Church of England, or in a Church in communion with it, and must have successfully completed a training post with the appropriate sign-offs required to apply for an incumbency or other ordained role. 

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and does not currently qualify for visa sponsorship. 

The priest appointed will serve as an office holder under Common Tenure, and the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Regulations will apply. 

Closing Date: Sunday 4 October 2026 
Interviews: Thursday 22 October 2026 

For more information, please speak with the Archdeacon of Maidstone (archdeacon.maidstone@diocant.org) or call the office on 01622 934449.