The Knaresborough Team Ministry serves the town of Knaresborough and the villages of Goldsborough, Nidd and Brearton, each of which has a church, and a strong sense of local community. Lying within the so-called ‘Golden Triangle’ of Leeds, York and Harrogate, we are fortunate to be close to the open countryside of the Yorkshire Dales, but also to enjoy the benefits of close access to major road, rail and airport links. The ministry team is seeking a House for Duty colleague to work with the Team Rector, Team Vicar and gifted lay ministers across the across the churches, not having a specific responsibility for a set geographic area, but identifying where their gifts can best support ministry and mission. They are hoping for a priest who will engage fully and positively, complementing the existing team in his/her prayerfulness, approachability and openness, and who will support and encourage the ministry of the whole church.

The Closing Date is Sunday 28th March

The Shortlisting Date is Thursday 15th April

The Interview Day is Wednesday 5th May*

*Please note due to the current circumstances there is the possibility the interviews may be held via Zoom.

If the interviews are held via Zoom an in-person visit ahead of the interview, in compliance with current COVID regulations, will hopefully be possible.

If you require any further information, or for an informal conversation, please do not hesitate to contact the Team Rector, The Revd Garry Hinchcliffe, Tel: 01423 202092, Email: garry.hinchcliffe@btinternet.com

We are seeking someone who will:

• Collaborate within the team in mission and ministry.
• Alongside others, encourage the ministry of the laity, through training, delegation, and support so that they have greater involvement in the mission and ministry of the parish.
• Ensure that a high standard of worship, preaching and pastoral care is provided so that people are more able to live and grow as Disciples of Christ, emphasising the vital importance of personal and corporate prayer, study of the Bible and service.
• Encourage Christian stewardship of people's time, money and abilities so that the whole ministry of the church is strengthened and enabled.

Working with the Team Rector and Team Vicar:

• Provide ministry on Sundays and two other days each week

Alongside others to:

• Help give the parish and people a renewed vision of what it means to be the Body of Christ serving the local community and to be intentionally mission focused.
• Help enable the Team to grow, and longing for each church to do well.
• Assist in bringing the churches of the parish together and develop collaborative ways of working together and reaching out to the local communities.
• Help realise and appreciate the value in relationships of being a Team Ministry.
• Seize the opportunity to build on the existing strengths of the work of God in the lives of young people, children and families.

We need someone who is able to demonstrate experience and proven competency in the following areas:

• Being a team player who is able to work collaboratively, and is willing to delegate and share ministry
• Engaging with and providing pastoral care for those of all ages, and listening sympathetically to the concerns of people
• Experienced in leading mainly eucharistic worship and being comfortable with a variety of liturgical styles
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills not least in preaching and teaching
• Ability to help manage and implement change that is mission- focused and will help the church to grow
• Building links with families who are not regular church attenders

Able to demonstrate experience and proven competency in the following areas:

• Being a team player who is able to work collaboratively, and is willing to delegate and share ministry
• Engaging with and providing pastoral care for those of all ages, and listening sympathetically to the concerns of people
• Experienced in leading mainly eucharistic worship and being comfortable with a variety of liturgical styles
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills not least in preaching and teaching
• Ability to help manage and implement change that is mission- focused and will help the church to grow

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.