The growing village of Oakworth (parish population 5139 in 2011 census) lies in the magnificent countryside of the Worth Valley, but within easy reach of bustling city centres. It lies at the western side of the Bradford Episcopal Area.
We are looking for an enabling leader, who can work with the congregations to keep growing the churches, developing confident lay discipleship, and increasing the profile and engagement of the church within Oakworth and the local community in creative ways.
The post comes with a half-stipend and housing, for which the post-holder will work Sundays and three other days a week. Given the part-time nature of this post, the post-holder will need to focus their available time strategically to inspire and develop others into ministry and leadership alongside themself.
Closing date for applications is Monday 13th January with interviews and a visit on 30/31st January. For an informal conversation about this post please contact the Archdeacon Andy Jolley on 07973 458403
The role is part-time, so we are seeking an enabling and supportive leader who:
The position comes with a half-stipend for 3 days a week plus Sundays.
There are three particular priorities for the incoming incumbent:
In addition, the person appointed will be the senior Anglican priest at Oakworth who will lead the ministerial team which comprises an SSM colleague, a retired priest with Permission to Officiate and two Readers. They will also be the Training Incumbent for any curate deployed to the parish.
Our vision as a Diocese is about confident clergy equipping confident Christians to live and tell the good news of Jesus Christ. In appointing to this post, we are therefore looking for someone who is both visionary and enabling, with the capacity to lead into a new era of growth. The new incumbent will have a joyful and confident faith which has inspired a track record of church growth, both numerically and spiritually.
Oakworth is a valued parish within the Bradford Episcopal Area and the Diocese of Leeds. The village has expanded over recent years, and new housing continues to be built. Giving residents the opportunity to discover Jesus and the life of the local church will remain an important task for the immediate future.
There is a good ministry team in place and the finances and buildings of both Christ Church and St John’s are in good order. Christ Church has recently been reordered, making it a more attractive building for holding events with the community, and there are plans to further improve the facilities there. Other recent positive developments include the development of stronger relationships with other organisations in the village, such as the Oakworth Community Trust and Oakworth Village Society. The next stage will be to build on these to develop further regular work with young families.