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Priest in Charge (0.5) St Chad
Vacancy Reference cofe/TP/4482/8829
Number of Positions:
1
Contract Type:
Office Holder
Salary/Stipend:
Location:
Bradford
Closing Date:
29/09/2025
Vacancy Category:
Clergy: Incumbent / Priest in Charge
Business Unit:
Diocese of Leeds
Organizational Unit:
Benefice
Introduction
St Chad’s is a traditional Anglican Catholic inner city parish with a predominantly Asian Muslim population, and (according to Church Urban Fund statistics) is one of the top 1% most deprived in England. Nearly 90% of the population are of global majority heritage and nearly 40% of adults have no qualifications. The rates of pensioner poverty are also amongst the highest in the Diocese of Leeds.
The Diocese of Leeds is committed to retaining an engaged presence in such challenging contexts. We are also committed to ensuring that a flourishing, viable and welcoming ecclesial presence in the Catholic tradition of the Anglican church continues in the Bradford Episcopal Area. St Chad’s is one of two parishes in the city of Bradford that have passed a resolution of the Bishops and Priest (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure of 2014.
A ministry of some 47 years from a previous vicar ended in 2016, after which the church has had Interim Ministry. The objectives for the Interim Ministry included assessing whether the future of St Chad’s lay more in being a centre of Catholic worship and mission within the Diocese of Leeds, or in focusing on its immediate parish context in outreach and service. Some growth was seen from the former, supported by improvements to the parish website, and 90% of those on the electoral roll now live outside the parish. However, the PCC has also retained a commitment to the latter.
Our vision as the Diocese is about confident clergy equipping confident Christians to live and tell the good news of Jesus Christ so that churches grow and communities are transformed. For this post, we are seeking a priest with a joyful and confident faith which can inspire church growth, both spiritually and numerically. We are also seeking someone who is able to lead this congregation with love and sensitivity through challenging times, navigate St Chad’s distinctive liturgical practices with skilful reverence, and manage required changes well.
Thanks to a generous three year grant from the Additional Curates Society (ACS), we are able to make a 0.5 stipend appointment of a priest-in-charge (three days a week plus Sundays) for an initial three years. This timescale offers a helpful impetus to continue progressing the main emphases of the Interim Ministry, namely:
- Providing further evidence that the church can flourish, with growth and sustainability;
- Agreeing and implementing changes needed to develop and establish St Chad’s as a Catholic centre of worship and mission within the Diocese;
- Contributing to thinking about the best provision within the city of Bradford for worship and pastoral provision with Extended Episcopal Oversight for Anglicans who are not persuaded by the Church of England’s decision to ordain women – including any possible pastoral reorganisation which might support this;
- Helping the parish to play an appropriately full part in the life of the deanery, wider Episcopal Area and Diocese, in particular working with the neighbouring parish of Girlington, Heaton and Manningham in reaching out to the local community, not least through schools.
In view of the time-limited funding, an appropriate monitoring process will be put in place, with a review point at the end of two years at the latest, so consideration can be given to what should happen when ACS’s current generous grant ends (for example there is a possibility of the grant being extended).
The closing date for applications is Monday 29th September 2025 with interviews planed for Friday 17th October
General information about the post can be found in the Role Description and Person Specification listed below alongside the parish brochure.
For an informal conversation please be in touch with Archdeacon Andy Jolley on andy.jolley@leeds.anglican.org
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