Vicar for St Mary's Church, Hadlow

Overview

An approachable and enthusiastic leader for the welcoming single parish benefice of St Mary's, Hadlow (Tonbridge Archdeaconry)

Introduction

Hadlow  is an expanding village of around 4,000 people, including a population of around 350 at Golden Green.  It lies in the Medway valley of Kent, four miles north-east of Tonbridge.  There are a wide range of shops in the main Square, and good access to London and the M25.

The village has two pre-schools, a primary school, a secondary school and Hadlow College itself which offers further education in land-based studies. The surrounding countryside has plenty of scope for walking and exercise, as well as a number of clubs and sporting activities including bowls and a cricket club. 

Main Responsibilities

St Mary's, Hadlow is known for offering liberal catholic, Eucharistic-based worship in a variety of traditional and modern styles.  While our congregation values the strong musical tradition (robed choir), we recognise the opportunity for other forms of worship to make St Mary’s more accessible to those unfamiliar with church or from different traditions.  With the full support of the congregation we hope our new parish priest will be as passionate about outreach as we are and lead us as we develop a vision and strategy for our whole village community.

We are praying for a new incumbent who will help us grow by:

* working collaboratively with our ministry and lay teams developing and encouraging their gifts.

* confidently leading us in a variety of styles of worship, developing closer links with young families and helping us expand our range of worship styles.

* strong leadership skills with a passion to enjoy rural parish ministry, willing to reach out to the local community with practical mission.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be:

A strong and collaborative leader with excellent organisational and communication skills,

A Bible-based communicator who will prayerfully encourage and inspire all church members in their spiritual journey.

Pastoral yet passionate about outreach, with the energy and vision to build on and expand our current programme of services for the community.

Able to develop our existing relationship with local schools, councillors and other community-led organisations.

About us

The church is an integral part of the community and offers a wide range of activities for those of all ages: toddler groups, Messy Church, coffee mornings and lunch clubs, hospital transport service, food bank, etc.  

We have a supportive and experienced PCC, an enthusiastic Ministry Team, and a part-time Administrator.

The vicarage is a substantial four bedroomed house built in 1987.  It is well-appointed and recently refurbished, and located just along the road from the village square.

Please download the Parish Profile for further information or visit St Mary's website: www.stmaryshadlow.org.uk

If you have any questions, please contact the Archdeacon of Tonbridge direct by emailing sharon.copestake@rochester.anglican.org 

Closing date for applications: 4th July 2022  [Interviews will be held on 21 July 2022]