Vicar

Overview

Vicar - St John, Failsworth

Introduction

The PCC is looking for a priest who stands in the central Catholic tradition and will work with them on their Mission Action Plan.  

Specifically, the new Vicar will help them

• to deepen their faith and discipleship
• to foster the gifts and ministries of the laity
• to further nurture the prayer life of the congregation
• to build on the relationship with St John’s Academy and other schools in the parish
• to develop a culture of good stewardship.
• to support and encourage the development of joint working across the emerging Mission cluster

Main Responsibilities

General

i. To exercise the cure of souls shared with the bishop in these parishes in

collaboration with your colleagues

ii. To have regard to the calling and responsibilities of the clergy as

described in the Canons, the Ordinal, the Code of Professional Conduct

for the Clergy and other relevant legislation.

iii. To work to advance the Kingdom of God through servant leadership,

collaboration and example, and with particular regard to the current

diocesan mission priorities

a) for growing churches

b) for increasing giving

c) for serving the wider community

d) for nurturing vocations

e) To share in the wider work of the deanery and diocese as appropriate,

for the building up of the whole Body of Christ

Specific

1. To work with the PCC to develop their ongoing Mission Action Plan
2. To strengthen discipleship within the congregation
3. To continue to develop links with St John’s Academy
4. To foster vocations to lay and ordained ministries
5. To build bridges with neighbouring parishes in the emerging Mission Cluster

3. Key contacts

Generic

The Wardens and PCCs

The Deanery Chapter, Synod and Mission and Pastoral Committee

The Staff at Church House

Specific

St John’s Academy

The 7^th Manchester Scout Group

Firs Hall, Brierfields and Acorn Lodge Care Homes

Supportive

The Area Dean of Oldham West                       Rev'd Nick Andrewes

The Archdeacon of Rochdale                            Ven Cherry Vann

The Bishop of Middleton                                   Rt Rev'd Mark Davies

4. Role context and any other relevant information

The Manchester Diocesan Vision is to become a Church for a Different World and integral to this is the grouping of parishes in Mission Clusters. St John’s has worked closely with Holy Family Failsworth and there is scope to work more closely with Holy Trinity Bardsley/Woodhouses. The person appointed will be someone who is keen and able to work with the other clergy to help the parishes strengthen their joint working, their sharing of resources and their effectiveness in mission.

The Ideal Candidate

Spirituality and Tradition

Applicants for the post should be

a)    liberal Catholic in their tradition

b)    a person who has the Eucharist at the heart of their spirituality

c)    a prayerful person who can teach others to pray

Experience and understanding

Applicants should be able to demonstrate the following:

a)    experience of working with children and young families

b)    an understanding of the importance of lay discipleship and ministry

c)    proven experience of creating and working with teams

d)    experience of working effectively in both church and state schools

e)    experience of building bridges with the local community

f)      experience in strengthening stewardship

Skills and competencies

Applicants should be able to demonstrate:

a)    effective leadership that generates growth in numbers and in depth of faith

b)    an excellent communicator

c)    an ability to draw people of all ages into the worshipping life of the church

d)    a willingness to delegate and work collaboratively with the laity

e)    skills in developing discipleship amongst people of all ages

f)      an ability to ensure the church is outward-facing

General Attributes

Applicants should

a)    Have vision and energy

b)    Be a good listener

c)    Be someone who enjoys and will promote the social life of the church

             d)    Have a pastoral heart and be keen to visit 

For more information about this application process, please use this link

About us

The Diocese of Manchester extends over most of Greater Manchester and Rossendale and is characterised by the extraordinary diversity of communities and cultures. The vibrancy that this gives to life makes it a joyful and hopeful place to pursue God’s mission. The overall vision of the Diocese is to establish

            A worshipping, growing and transformative Christian presence at the heart of every community

And we firmly believe there is an opportunity to do so at this point on our journey of faith.

Our Mission Goals are to be a “Church for a Different World” which is

• Growing – growing new disciples in missionary church communities which are younger, more diverse, active and spiritually engaged
• Nurturing – increasing vocations, nurturing new and existing disciples, increasing financial giving
• Serving – present for all, speaking and acting prophetically for justice, supporting pastorally especially the vulnerable, deprived and excluded

Guided by this vision, the Diocese is engaged on a process of strategic planning for the future, led by the Fit for Mission Strategic Programme Board that includes the three bishops and others with specific gifts in this area.

The Bishop has to resolve to appoint in the Diocese only clergy who have a clear sense of calling to the particular post and are committed, under God, to the Diocesan vision, and its values, inspiration and goals. We believe that mission and ministry are property undertaken collaboratively, working with neighbouring parishes, specialist and sector ministries, and ecumenical and wider community partners. Clergy will be expected to work collegially with other ordained ministers and lay people to encourage and sustain the wider mission and ministry of the church. Clergy and parishes are expected to undertake a process of “Mission Action Planning”.

Clergy are expected to encourage and enable the gifts and ministries of all God’s people and especially to help individuals explore and possible call to ordination (including Ordained Local Ministry), Reader Ministry or Authorised Lay Ministry.

Education is a major factor in the life of the diocese and its mission to young people. There are almost 200 church schools and a growing number of academies. Unless there is very good reason otherwise, where there is a Church School in the parish the minister of that parish is expected to carry out conscientiously the role of ex officio Governor, as part of a wider ministry in the school, although the minister is encouraged not to act as Chair of Governors. In the case of benefices with several schools no member of the clergy should act as Governor of more than two schools.

We are committed to promoting the well-being of clergy, and in 2018 survey 87% of all the clergy who responded either strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, “I enjoy ministry in the Diocese of Manchester.”

It is normal for a priest to have a ministerial interest wider than the benefice itself that take something in the region of 10% of their working time.

Except where required under the terms of the House of Bishops Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests 2014 we are committed to ensuring that the Diocese does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of criteria unrelated to their ability to function as a priest in the benefice.

All ministerial appointments in the Diocese are subject to enhanced DBS Disclosure and we are obliged under the requirements of Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 to request documentation which will satisfy its requirements of proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

DEANERY

There are eighteen parishes in the Deanery of Oldham West, forming thirteen benefices; four of which come under the sacramental and pastoral care of the Bishop of Beverley; one under the care of the Bishop of Maidstone. It is a deanery with an increasingly diverse demographic with a growing Muslim population and an increasing number of people from Eastern Europe and further afield, such as Iran.

There is also acute poverty in many areas of the deanery providing churches with significant challenges and opportunities in terms of their mission to hard to reach groups. Part of the response to this has been a particular focus on the 3^rd and 4^th marks of mission with projects to meet the needs of the community – including foodbanks, drop-ins, street angels, for example - and a close working with the Local Authority and other statutory agencies.

The deanery is developing its Mission Action Plan and the Mission Clusters of parishes who will work together in mission and ministry.

Further information can be round on the deanery website at https://www.oldham-west-deanery.org