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Vicar of Oswaldtwistle
Vacancy Reference cofe/TP/70992/7943
Number of Positions:
1
Contract Type:
Office Holder
Salary/Stipend:
£30,371
Location:
Oswaldtwistle
Closing Date:
17/01/2025
Vacancy Category:
Clergy: Incumbent / Priest in Charge
Business Unit:
Diocese of Blackburn
Organizational Unit:
Benefice
Introduction
Oswaldtwistle - unforgettable name, unrivalled opportunity!
Are you a mission-hearted priest with courage to pray, ambition to serve and love for people?
Oswaldtwistle is a small former cotton town, adjacent to Accrington in Lancashire, with a village atmosphere and a strong sense of community.
Our appointing Bishop Joe Kennedy writes:
‘Oswaldtwistle takes its name from St Oswald who was hugely important in the spread of Christianity in Northumbria, and from the old English word twistle meaning ‘meeting of brooks’. Legend has it that Oswald passed through this area in the 7th Century and as a result it became known as Oswald’s Twistle. My prayer is for a mission-hearted priest to lead the parish of Oswaldtwistle, who will love this town and its people. May the churches of this parish in this new season of their life be places where many people will meet Jesus.’
We are one Church in three worship centres, Immanuel, All Saints’ and St. Paul’s, joined together to form the Parish of Oswaldtwistle in 2017, with one PCC. Our church buildings are distinct, each with committed congregations and with facilities that suit different activities and different worship styles.
We are a big parish in a big area with big potential, offering an exciting opportunity to work with a team of committed people who are prepared to get stuck in. We are looking forward to welcoming a new vicar with the energy and experience to guide us into a new phase of regrowth.
The Ideal Candidate
The Bishop of Burnley and our parish are looking to appoint a priest who:
- feels a genuine call to love and serve the parish and people of Oswaldtwistle,
- has experience of working in a multi- church parish context
- is willing to honour and grow each of our churches in their respective style and tradition, and to have a heart for each,
- honours tradition, but who is not afraid to do things differently
- is resilient, self-caring and able to manage and maintain a healthy work life balance,
- will be a visible presence in the community, encouraging an outward facing culture of discipleship throughout the congregations,
- can develop and grow links with people of all ages in the wider community,
- values and builds relationships with schools and youth organisations.
We offer a strong leadership team with a self-supporting associate priest, two licensed lay ministers, one authorised local minister and a pastoral team. We have recently secured funding to appoint a paid administrator.
About us
For an informal conversation about the post, please contact the Area Dean: Revd Canon David Arnold (david.arnold@blackburn.anglican.org)
Closing date for applications: 12 noon, Friday 17th January 2025
Interview date: Friday 7th February 2025
For information about Blackburn diocese please follow this link https://jobs.churchofengland.org/blackburn/vision-2026/
For information on making an application through Pathways please follow this link https://jobs.churchofengland.org/HELP/candidate-faq/
