We seek someone with energy and a passion for the gospel who can build up our relationships with children and young people; who will be responsible for evangelistic outreach and who will deepen the discipleship of those in the Cathedral congregation.

This role would suit someone who is looking for a challenge and who enjoys a variety of relationships and tasks in their ministry. You are likely to be an extravert with a track record in bringing others to faith and in finding ways to proclaim the gospel afresh. You will be doing this within the complex context of a cathedral, with all its civic, liturgical and teaching dimensions so you will need to be open to a wide range of church traditions and willing to contribute to our corporate life of prayer and worship

• Building up our relationship with the students at Bristol Cathedral Choir School (either in partnership with the School Chaplain or as School Chaplain).
• Building up our relationship with Bristol Cathedral Primary School and working with our Education Officer to develop opportunities for children and families to encounter the good news in the Cathedral.
• Supporting the Education Officer and volunteers working with children and families developing their participation in worship and their growth in faith as part of the Cathedral community.
• Seeking out opportunities to draw students and young adults into the life of the cathedral and supporting them as they explore faith and life decisions.
• In partnership with colleagues and volunteers, developing discipleship through programmes for baptism, confirmation and congregational growth.
• Developing a contextually appropriate approach to sharing the faith so that the people of Bristol can find it.
• Overseeing the work of the Lead for Visitor Engagement to ensure that visitors to the cathedral have a high quality experience.
• Encouraging volunteers across many areas of cathedral life and ensuring that they are safely recruited, well trained, and properly supported in their roles.
• Taking a full part in the worshipping life of the cathedral including daily prayer, Sunday worship and a wide variety of occasional, seasonal and civic services.
• In partnership with the Dean and other members of Chapter, discerning the vision and strategy for the Cathedral.

Experience:

• An ordained person who has been in orders for at least six years.
• Leadership experience that will inform participation in the strategic leadership and governance of the Cathedral.
• A track record in growing a church or in bringing others to faith (e.g. in a chaplaincy role or children, families or youth work).
• Significant experience in shaping and creating worship and resources that can appeal to children and families, and/or students and young adults.
• Experience of managing staff and volunteers.
• Experience of school or college environments as a teacher, governor or chaplain.
• Skills in music or performance.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Outstanding communication skills across a range of contexts and for diverse audiences.
• Strong theological grounding with the ability to discuss the big questions of faith and ethics in an engaging and respectful way.
• Understanding of young people’s development and ability to pitch a message appropriately.
• Ability and administrative capacity to plan projects, marshal resources and manage volunteers effectively to deliver events in a timely and well organised way.
• Ability to initiate and innovate while having a view to the wider implications of execution in a setting where there are many pressures on the building and staff colleagues.
• A realistic understanding of Cathedral life and the role of a Cathedral Canon, willing to embrace them and not fight against them.

Personal Qualities:

• A person of mature, attractive and infectious spirituality.
• A team player who is open and collaborative.
• Self-aware and able to learn from experience.
• Self-confidence to work with senior leaders across diverse environments.
• Open to new ideas and willing to be challenged.
• Someone who has the maturity and resilience to work in an environment that may sometimes be highly pressured.
• A people person who can build alliances across diversity.

For more information about this application process, please use this link

The Cathedral within its Context The Diocese of Bristol covers Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Wiltshire and Swindon. The area is one of contrasts: cities, towns and villages, coastland and farmland. Within the Diocese, there are 30,000 people worshipping regularly in more than 200 churches. Around 15,000 children and young people attend our 72 church schools. We aspire for everyone who lives or works in Bristol and the wider Diocese to say that Bristol Cathedral is “their cathedral”.

The Cathedral stands in the civic heart of a city that has frequently been voted the best place to live in the UK. The city is home to a diverse community of nearly half a million people, including well-established African-Caribbean, Pakistani and Indian communities, as well as growing Somali and Polish communities, amongst others. . There are very affluent parts of the city, but also significant pockets of deprivation, with high levels of intergenerational unemployment. Other areas are more bohemian, diverse and edgy – and many are engaged in social, political or environmental activism.