Vicar of St Francis of Assisi, Petts Wood (London Borough of Bromley)

Introduction

Are you a caring, approachable and enthusiastic parish priest, comfortable in the Anglo-catholic tradition?  

We are looking for a prayerful, wise and enthusiastic male or female leader who will:

• respect our diverse views.
• honour our commitment to traditional worship.
• build-on our current outreach initiatives and find new ways to grow our congregation by attracting more young people and families.
• be able to relate well to all ages.
• be willing to engage with those in the wider parish, including visiting the sick and elderly.
• be able to lead us in valuing the importance of environmental matters, including our new and demanding ECO Heating Project.

Our church was built in the 1930s and is a beautiful and calming space.  On the whole it remains largely unchanged, but does now benefit from accessible toilet, separate Tea Station, HD cameras for livestreaming, and solar panels.

The adjacent Church Hall was built in 1952 and underwent extensive refurbishment and modernisation in the early 2000s.  It is extensively used by the local community, with 16 regular hirers including a pre-school group.

These buildings are set within beautiful and well-kept grounds.  This is not consecrated for burials, though there is a section designated for the interment of cremated remains.

Worship pattern on Sundays is for an 8am Said Eucharist and a 10.30am Sung Eucharist, both following the traditional Anglo-catholic style.  'Bubble Church' is offered on the 3rd Sunday.  This is a 30-minute service at 9.15am, specifically aimed at young families and is already generating some interest.

Prior to the vacancy, Said Communion was also offered at 9.30am each weekday and on Saturdays.  It is hoped that our new priest might consider reintroducing some sort of midweek service(s).

The Sacrament of Confession is also offered on request.

The parish is mainly residential and close to National Trust woodland.  The main high street is just outside the parish boundary, but has a number of shops, restaurants and coffee shops.  There are 3 supermarkets in Petts Wood, as well as pubs, a gym, library and snooker hall.  Willett Recreation Ground is a popular venue for bowling, cricket, and tennis, as well as providing a play area for children.  Petts Wood railway station provides a regular service to London, and the area is well serviced by buses as well as being within easy reach of the M20 and M25.

The neighbouring towns of Bromley and Orpington have a further selection of major shops, banks, restaurants and cinemas.

The Vicarage is located a very short walk from the church and is a 5-bedroomed detached property built in the late 1930s.  The kitchen and family bathroom were refurbished by the Diocese in 2017.

Full details can be found in the accompanying Parish Profile, or by visiting our website: www.stfrancispw.org.uk

For an informal conversation with Archdeacon Allie Kerr about this vacancy, please contact her EA, Fiona Porter, in the first instance by emailing fiona.porter@rochester.anglican.org 

Interviews will be held on Tuesday, 14th April 2026

The wider a group’s diversity, the smarter, wiser, and more compassionate and creative its decision making becomes. We are committed to achieving diversity throughout our Diocese by seeking UKME/GMH colleagues and those from a wide-range of backgrounds, to help us create a culture of inclusion and belonging.