The Benefice of East Dere Street is set in beautiful North Yorkshire, between Richmond, Northallerton and Darlington. This benefice of six parishes and seven churches is looking for a priest to support growth and sustainability in mission and ministry. You will be supported by two Readers, and ten lay worship leaders, and we are looking to appoint an administrator. We hope that our new priest will develop the ministry of the laity, through training, delegation, encouragement and support, will encourage young people, especially those attending our three local schools, to grow in faith with an awareness of God in their lives, and will engage with across our communities. The setting is stunning, with easy access to towns, dales and moors, the location has excellent transport and cultural facilities nearby, and the benefice is financially stable. We face the challenges of being dispersed across our villages, of reaching out in mission and service to the whole community, and inspiring the growth of families and children within our worshipping congregations.

The closing date is Monday 17th February 2020

The shortlisting meeting will be held on Tuesday 25th February 2020

The interview day will be held on Monday 16th March 2020

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact the Rt. Revd. Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Ripon, Tel: 01765 601094 or email her PA Mrs Judith Richardson, judith.richardson@leeds.anglican.org

We are looking for someone who can:

• Be responsible for our parishes having regard to the calling and responsibilities of the clergy as described in the Canons, the Ordinal, the Code of Professional Conduct for the Clergy and other relevant legislation
• Develop the ministry of the laity, through training, delegation, encouragement and support so that they have greater involvement in the mission and ministry of the Benefice
• Ensure a good standard of worship, preaching and pastoral care is provided to enable people to live and grow as Disciples of Christ
• Promote small group participation for Bible Study and growth in faith, deepening people's understanding of the influence of God in their lives.
• Ensure a clear and compliant safeguarding policy is embedded into the culture of our Benefice
• Encourage young people especially those attending the three local schools to grow in faith with an awareness of God in their lives
• Encourage a culture of productive and flourishing relationships between the Diocese, Deanery, Benefice and parishes

Our new priest should have:

• Good communication skills, both written and verbal
• Excellent interpersonal skills and experience of working successfully with a wide range of diverse people of all ages
• The ability to analyse situations and make decisions

Our new priest should:

• Be a person of integrity
• Have the ability to communicate that can be suited to differing audiences
• Have the ability to respond to change with a positive attitude
• Have the willingness and ability to work co-operatively and collaboratively with others taking the lead where and as appropriate
• Have the ability to build positive relationships being sympathetic to the needs of others
• Be open, supportive and trusting with the ability to listen effectively with discernment and sensitivity.

The Diocese of Leeds comprises five Episcopal Areas, each coterminous with an Archdeaconry. This is now one of the largest dioceses in the country and its creation is unprecedented in the history of the Church of England. It covers an area of around 2,425 square miles, and a population of around 2,642,400 people.

The three former dioceses were created in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to cater for massive population changes brought about by industrialisation and, later, mass immigration. The diocese comprises major cities (Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield), large industrial and post-industrial towns (Halifax, Huddersfield, Dewsbury), a spa town (Harrogate), market towns (Skipton, Ripon, Richmond and Wetherby), and deeply rural areas (the Dales). The whole of life is here, along with all the richness, diversity and complexities of a changing world.

The Diocesan Bishop (The Rt Rev’d Nick Baines) is assisted by five Area Bishops (Bradford, Huddersfield, Kirkstall, Wakefield and Ripon) and five archdeacons (Bradford, Halifax, Leeds, Pontefract, Richmond & Craven). The Bishop of Ripon is the Rt Rev’d Dr Helen-Ann Hartley.

Our vision as the Diocese is about confident clergy equipping confident Christians to live and tell the good news of Jesus Christ. For all of our appointments we are seeking clergy who have a joyful and confident faith which has inspired a track record of church growth, both numerically and spiritually.