Interim Priest in Charge of Skelmanthorpe (0.5) Interim Associate Priest in the Emley Moor parishes (0.5)

Overview

Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of transformation and change leadership across a group of parishes and benefices.

Skelmanthorpe is a small town near to Emley Moor in West Yorkshire. It sits between Huddersfield and Wakefield, and is within easy reach of both, as well as the cities of Leeds and Bradford and the larger towns of Dewsbury, Halifax and Barnsley. There are excellent links further afield via the M62/M1 motorways and the rail network with good train services to London, Manchester and Leeds. Leeds/Bradford Airport is around an hour away by road. Emley Moor is recognisable from a distance, thanks to the large TV transmitter tower which sits at a high point between Emley and Kirkburton.

Through a conjunction of retirements and moves, most of the parishes across Emley Moor have become vacant at the same time. The parishes want to take hold of the opportunity this affords, to engage in a shared conversation over the coming years, discerning God’s call and developing a vision for the future of mission and ministry in this area. To that end, they have grouped into three clusters, each of which will have a priest, and all of which will work together to discern the future.

Having appointed to one of the clusters, we are now seeking to appoint priests to the remaining interim posts; all three posts will have a focus on developing our partnerships as missional churches for our communities. Each priest will have oversight of particular parishes, and work together with colleagues across the area in mutual support. One priest will have particular responsibility for the church at Skelmanthorpe, and for offering time and support into the other two groupings; one will have particular responsibility for the churches at Shelley, Shepley, Cumberworth and Upper Denby, and the third will have particular responsibility for the churches at Kirkburton, Lepton, Emley and Flockton.

We are looking for a priest for Skelmanthorpe, and to offer ministry across the area, who is committed to sharing in this conversation and discernment, to helping our churches to grow in numbers, in spiritual commitment to God and in service to the local community, and to working collaboratively across the wider area as we deepen and strengthen the relationships between our congregations and across our parishes. In return we will offer you our support, prayers and practical help from the multi-talented people in our congregations who are, in true Yorkshire style, welcoming and friendly.

Please see the Person Specification and Role Description attached, for further details of the post and the essential and desirable qualities we are seeking in the priest to be appointed.

The closing date for this post is 23rd May 2024

Interviews: will be confirmed at shortlisting.

If you require further information including copies of the accounts or would like a conversation about this post please do not hesitate to contact The Ven Bill Braviner, Archdeacon of Halifax by email initially on archdeacon.halifax@leeds.anglican.org . He will then arrange to have a telephone or Zoom conversation with you.

About us

About Us

The Anglican Diocese of Leeds comprises five episcopal areas, each coterminous with an archdeaconry. This is now one of the largest Dioceses in the country and its creation in 2014 is unprecedented in the history of the Church of England. It covers an area of around 2,425 square miles with a population of around 2,642,400 people. The Diocese comprises major cities (Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield) large industrial and post-industrial towns (Halifax, Huddersfield and Dewsbury), market towns (Todmorden, Harrogate, Skipton, Richmond, Ripon and Wetherby) and deeply rural areas especially in the Dales. The whole of life is here, along with all the richness, diversity and complexities of a changing world.

Five area bishops (Bradford, Huddersfield, Kirkstall, Ripon and Wakefield) and five archdeacons (Bradford, Halifax, Leeds, Richmond & Craven, and Pontefract) assist the Diocesan Bishop (The Rt. Revd Nicholas Baines)

These parishes are part of the Almondbury & Kirkburton Deanery of the Huddersfield Episcopal Area, in the Archdeaconry of Halifax. The Bishop of Huddersfield is The Rt Revd Smitha Prasadam. The Archdeacon of Halifax is The Venerable Bill Braviner.

Our vision as a Diocese is about confident clergy equipping confident Christians to live and tell the Good News of Jesus Christ. For all our appointments we are seeking clergy who have a joyful and confident faith and with a commitment to church growth both numerical and spiritual.