These parishes are located in and near the market town of Skipton, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Skipton Christ Church covers the southern part of the town, including housing, businesses, shops and industrial estates. The Victorian building has a flexible space for liturgy and worship, and also has a ministry of welcome for the community and as a performance space. The parish has a liberal catholic liturgical tradition. Carleton in Craven is a lively village with a strong community life, and VA primary school. The church is a place of welcome and tranquillity for locals and visitors. These parishes are praying for an incumbent who will advance the Kingdom of God in the benefice through prayer, effective leadership and collaboration, and will bring an innovative, contemporary, imaginative and creative approach to church growth both numerically and spiritually. There has frequently been a curate appointed here, and the new priest will be expected to be a training incumbent. The patrons are Christ Church Oxford and the Rector of Skipton Holy Trinity.

For an informal conversation please contact the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley Tel: 01765 601094 or email, via her PA, Mrs Judith Richardson, Judith.richardson@leeds.anglican.org

Closing date Sunday 15th May 2022

Shortlisting date Monday 23rd May 2022

Interview date Wednesday 1st June 2022

• Bring an innovative, contemporary, imaginative and creative approach to church growth both numerically and spiritually, working closely with the Churchwardens and laity to allow the mutual flourishing of our congregations.
• When possible, oversee the work of a curate, supporting their ministry and development.
• Provide visionary, positive and effective leadership, support and guidance for the benefice.
• Work with the Churchwardens and PCCs and to ensure the most efficient and effective structures for governance and financial provision of both churches, and develop plans for mission.
• Work with us to develop our congregation and increase numbers.
• Develop a culture of welcome and invitation; be seen in the wider community (schools, pubs, shops, clubs).
• Develop lay leadership and ministries across the parishes, in particular small group teaching and learning, and pastoral, children and young people’s ministries.
• Bring fresh ideas to our pattern of worship alongside our traditional forms of service. Identify, devise and implement patterns of worship appropriate for a wide variety of people, all ages, including those unfamiliar with Christian faith.
• Strengthen work with children and young people through ministry to families and community groups.
• Be a visible, approachable and engaging presence in the communities.
• Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults, raising concerns as appropriate.

• Experience of developing discipleship within congregations, recognising the different ways individuals grow in faith.
• Knowledge of different worship styles and the spiritual resources available for different styles, including web-based technologies.
• Experience of working with people of all ages.
• Ability to think broadly, analyse a situation and value diverse perspectives.
• Ability to make a full contribution to the collective worship, curriculum and governance of the church schools within the parishes.
• A team-worker building up our two churches and the wider population of Skipton and Carleton.
• Able to monitor and assess the contribution that lay members, children and young people bring to the lives of the churches.

The Diocese of Leeds

The Diocese of Leeds was formed at Easter 2014. It is one of the largest dioceses in the country covering an area of around 2,425 square miles, and a growing population of around 2,642,400 people. The diocese comprises five Episcopal areas, each served by a suffragan (area) bishop. Each Episcopal Area is coterminous with an Archdeaconry.

The Diocesan Vision, informed by the values of ‘loving, living, learning’ is: ‘confident Christians, growing churches, transforming communities and so helping share the Good News of Jesus Christ across our Diocese’. This Vision is embedded into the Diocesan Strategy and Goals and expressed in meaningful ways across the episcopal areas.

The Diocese is a blend of urban and rural in all their diversity. This includes the major cities of Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield; the large industrial and post-industrial towns of Halifax, Huddersfield and Dewsbury; the market towns of Harrogate, Skipton, Ripon (classed as a small city), Richmond and Wetherby; and the deeply rural area of the Yorkshire Dales. It covers several civic and parliamentary boundaries.

The Diocese is unique in having three cathedrals; Bradford, Ripon and Wakefield. The Deans of the Cathedrals work together and continue to look to fresh ways of sharing ideas and engaging in projects of mutual interest.