Team Vicar, Limpsfield Team (with special responsibility as Vicar, St Mary’s Church and Children & Families Worker across the Team)

Overview

This exciting role combines the job of Parish Priest at St Mary’s, Tatsfield with that of Children and Families worker across the wider Team Ministry, offering an opportunity to renew and grow the church community after the challenges of the Pandemic. 

We require a candidate with an appropriate range of skills and capabilities; approachable and welcoming as pastor and leader, able to encourage and inspire church members and the wider community in their spiritual lives and communicate the Christian faith in an appealing and inspirational way.  Open to leading a variety of styles of worship, able to engage effectively with families and develop a good rapport with children.  A capable team player able to work collaboratively with clergy and lay colleagues across the wider team.

We are a welcoming church, with strong links to the Village and proud of our long Christian and pilgrim heritage, upon which the incumbent will build moving forwards. 

Our guiding Mission is ‘We seek to know and share God’s love as revealed in Jesus Christ’.

Introduction

Tatsfield village sits on the top of the North Downs on the boundaries of Surrey, Kent and Greater London, within ten miles from the urban areas of Bromley and Croydon and within twenty miles from Central London.  Despite its close proximity to amenities, it still preserves a rural identity.

We are a Team Ministry of three pretty, East Surrey rural villages in the M25 area.  Tatsfield itself has about 740 dwellings with a well-balanced population of around 2000 inhabitants, mostly owning their own housing.  Despite an increase in homeworking many still commute to London and surrounding areas. 

There are a range of flourishing organisations in the village offering a variety of activities including, sports, fitness, horticultural, social club, WI, singing, art, and ‘Tatsfield in Bloom’. Traditionally the church has participated in the Village Remembrance Day service and Carol Service.

The popular Primary School attracts children locally and from surrounding areas.   A flourishing toddler group meets in the Millennium Hall and a well subscribed pre-school runs in the village hall. This together with a nearby day nursery means the village is well populated by young families. 

St Mary’s is well regarded in the village, demonstrated by the practical support and interest people show, including helping with the Sunday afternoon church teas, regular flower arranging and helping with the popular Flower Festival.

The Rectory is a splendid and spacious late Victorian house with a large garden. 

Main Responsibilities

The post has four key areas of focus:

Mission

Working throughout the team in growing our Children and Families Ministry including leading Collective worship in our local schools and wider charities and partners.  Active involvement in the wider life of the village, enabling the church to continue to be seen locally as the centre for spiritual life.  Effectively utilising the ancient setting of the Pilgrim’s church on the Pilgrims’ Way, the pretty church building, stunning location and its facilities.  Ensuring the church maintains an outward focus.

Leadership and collaborative working

Providing a vision for the future of the church: inspiring, motivating and empowering church members to fulfil it, and providing a vision for the growth of Children and Families work throughout the team.  Working collaboratively with the Churchwardens, PCC and Vicar to ensure the smooth running of the church.  Chairing the PCC and Standing Committee and attending/contributing to Team meetings.  Ensuring people feel competent and supported when taking on responsibilities.

Children and Families Work

Building and developing outreach work with children and families.  Supporting, developing and motivating existing leaders/helpers working with the children’s groups throughout the team.   Identifying and encouraging new leaders/helpers to join the various teams and helping to lead the Collective worship in the four schools which fall within the parishes.

Parish Work

Willing to plan and lead a variety of styles of worship and helping the church maintain an outward focus & strong presence in the wider community.  Foster vocations.  Lead on pastoral care to people in the church and village.  Developing the vision for the church to become an Eco Church and promote and develop the commitment to take seriously the call to protect the integrity of creation.

The Ideal Candidate

This exciting role requires an inspirational spiritual and practical leader to encourage and inspire church members and the wider community in the life of the church and in their spiritual journey.  They must be approachable, welcoming and able to communicate the Christian faith in a way that is appealing and inspirational.  They will engage effectively with families and develop a good rapport with children, building on our existing work with local schools and be willing and able to lead and develop a variety of styles of worship service.  They will be a good team player able to work collaboratively with clergy and lay colleagues across the wider team.

We seek an enthusiastic priest to restore and encourage all generations to return to St Mary’s, including new worshippers and for the Church to be the focus of faith in Tatsfield.

About us

We are a welcoming church for all ages supported by our two capable churchwardens and many volunteers.  There is paid part-time administrative support locally and also within the wider Team Ministry.

Our pattern of worship includes a Sunday 10am Parish Eucharist with music and a calendar of themed services, including a Carol service and All Souls service, both of which draw in the wider community.  Lay participation within services includes serving, administration of communion, readings, leading the intercessions and music.  Mid-week evening study groups including ‘Lectio Divina’ are organised at regular intervals and during Lent groups are organised with other churches in the Oxted area.   The electoral roll number at present (2022) is 52 and average attendance is currently 20.

As a church we welcome all and seek to support and include the local community, through a variety of activities including flower festivals, concerts and Lent lunches, Harvest and Christmas celebrations and an Ascension Day breakfast.

Where possible the church is open during the week and our visitors’ book shows how much we are appreciated.  A Pilgrim Stamp is available for those on pilgrimage to Canterbury and our summer teas on Sunday afternoons are well supported by the village and those from further afield, including the many cyclists enjoying the steep climb into the village!

Our Millennium Hall includes a spacious meeting room, kitchen and toilets and is well used for church activities and by regular and occasional hirers.

St Mary’s is part of the Limpsfield & Tatsfield Team Ministry with St Peter’s, Limpsfield and St Andrew’s, Limpsfield Chart. Each church is distinctive with its own separate parish, however together our churches have the common goal of celebrating our Christian faith and sharing God’s love with our communities, locally and beyond.

We have a policy in Southwark Diocese that to be appointed to an incumbent status post, a priest must have served a title post in an Anglican church in the British Isles. We aim to be a diverse and truly representative Diocese, and particularly welcome applications from women and people of UKME heritage.

For an informal conversation, please contact the Archdeacon’s PA  Kathleen.bailey@southwark.anglican.org

Closing Date: 9am, Friday 17 February 2023

Interviews & Parish Visit for shortlisted candidates: Monday 20 March 2023

This post is subject to DBS enhanced disclosure.