The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Stottesdon
Rector of the Stottesdon Benefice (0.5) and Rural Church Missioner
Vacancy Reference cofe/TP/58797/7768
Number of Positions:
1
Contract Type:
Office Holder
Salary/Stipend:
Location:
Stottesdon
Closing Date:
03/02/2025
Vacancy Category:
Clergy: Incumbent / Priest in Charge
Business Unit:
Diocese of Hereford
Organizational Unit:
Diocesan Established Post
Introduction
We are praying for a mission-focused and prayerful priest to come and be the next Rector of Stottesdon, Farlow, Cleeton St Mary, Silvington, Sidbury and Middleton Scriven and our Deanery's first Rural Church Missioner
We strive to reflect the Diocesan vision – ‘proclaiming Christ, growing Disciples’ – in our Benefice mission, which, in broad terms, is to ensure that an active Christian presence is visible, welcoming and supportive in the diverse communities we serve.
The priorities and challenges for our churches are far from unique: we aspire to develop numerically and spiritually - whilst working on resources and funds to secure that growth, and to sustain the heritage estate of listed buildings entrusted to us by the nation.
Although experience tells us that none of this will be easy, we believe that appropriate leadership and a good dollop of optimism would make the task much more feasible!
Is God calling you to be the person who leads us forward in the next stages of our life as a Benefice?
We have also worked with the Rural Dean and the Archdeacon in thinking about how our benefice could be a good fit with the wider Diocesan strategy in terms of supporting our smaller rural parishes. That has led to us being one of two benefices in the Ludlow Archdeaconry who will pilot the new Rural Church Missioner (RCM) role. The RCM role is designed to support parish incumbents and laity to develop clear missional plans for the future of every church community and building in the deanery. The Chapter members are ready and excited to welcome a new colleague who will work alongside them to develop the Deanery's mission.
This is therefore an ideal opportunity for an innovative minister with rural experience to be part of leading and shaping local mission in our Diocese as well as ministering to their own parishes.
The parishes, the post, and the person
You will find full details of all of these in the profile. We hope you will enjoy reading it and finding out more about us and the person we are seeking as Rector and Rural Church Missioner. In summary, though, we are praying for a rector and colleague who has the gifts, experience, and calling to:
- provide spiritual and practical leadership to parish congregations and wider communities
- build capacity by guiding, leading, and developing parish officers and lay leaders
- work alongside and closely support leaders in our two Primary Schools
- explore spiritual and numerical growth through community engagement
- identify and provide or facilitate pastoral care and support
- work up an outline, prioritised maintenance plan for Benefice buildings
- review and co-ordinate Benefice-wide sustainability/organisation improvements
- formulate missional, financial and pastoral plans for churches across the Deanery
- train others in missional worship and events and develop a team
- line manage the Deanery Co-ordinator
The new rector would be actively supported by our volunteers and their helpers:
+ MINISTRY: we have a recently licenced Local Worship Leader and two Wardens who are developing worship-leading skills through the current vacancy. A small group of retired clergy from nearby towns have supported the delivery of a modified pattern of Sunday services – and they seem likely to be available as we move forward.
+ ORGANISATION: managing vacancy clergy cover, and this recruitment, has challenged the PCCs to work more collaboratively and several new Officer-volunteers have come forward to support this very welcome development. A facilitated ‘core team’, drawn from each PCC, was formed to drive the Parish Profile process.
+ PCCs members have grown, through the Vacancy Consultation process, in their appreciation and understanding of the shared financial and existential challenges facing the Benefice as an entity.
The ability to travel independently and quickly around a large geographic area on country roads is essential. Full, clean, driving licence and access to own car is desirable.
Thank you for your interest in this post, and please know that we are praying for you as you prayerfully consider whether God is calling you to serve Christ among and alongside us.
Practical details
Closing date for applications is Monday 3rd February 2025
Parish Visits will be on Monday 24th February 2025
Interviews will be on Tuesday 25th February 2025
If you have any questions, or would like to have an informal conversation about the post, please contact the Archdeacon of Ludlow, The Ven Dr Fiona Gibson - Fiona.Gibson@hereford.anglican.org or 01588 673571.
This post requires Enhanced DBS clearance.
