Sanderstead and Hamsey Green are looking for a new priest in Charge, (Rector Designate).

We are looking for a leader who will help us to fulfil our strapline of:

• Proclaiming Jesus, Changing Lives, Serving our Community

There has been a church on the site of All Saints, Sanderstead, since at least 1230AD worshipping God and serving the community. History books indicate that there has been a church on the site since the time of the Domesday Book. Our present congregation seeks to continue this faithful witness to the Gospel, and to share in God’s mission in this part of South Croydon.

Most church members live within the parish. There are 184 people on the electoral roll, although not everybody on the electoral roll attends church due to age or infirmity. The ‘attending congregation’ consists mostly of people in the 60+ age range. However, a monthly, Sunday afternoon ‘Messy Church’ service is growing strongly with some 70 children and their families. We also run a very successful Toddler Group twice a week.

As of 2020, the average age of people in Sanderstead was 41 with a total population of approximately 15,500 people. Local schools are heavily over-subscribed as young families continue to move to the area.

The Parish of Sanderstead lies on the northern edge of the beautiful North Downs and forms part of the southern boundary of the Greater London Borough of Croydon. It is essentially a quiet suburban parish, approximately three miles due south of Croydon Town Centre.

The area is, popular with established families who enjoy its amenities and pleasant atmosphere.

The attractions of living in the area include;

• accessibility to open spaces and woodland
• good local Nursery and Outstanding Primary and Secondary Schools
• good local shops including Waitrose, Sainsbury & Tesco;
• larger shopping centres are available in Croydon, Sutton and Bromley
• Good transport connections to London

The primary responsibility of the Priest in Charge (Rector Designate) is to be the parish priest.

We are looking for A LEADER who, with ENERGY and DYNAMISM, will develop the vision for the church to enable the CHILDREN and FAMILIES work to be a priority in order to GROW the church both in numbers and spiritual maturity. In addition, the new person will CARE and TEND for the existing ageing congregation many of whom have faithfully served the church for many years.

We are looking for a confident, spirit-filled, prayerful, mission-minded leader with:

• strong communication skills,
• the ability to engage and encourage people across the age ranges and to convey the church’s mission, vision and priorities;
• a commitment to preach the Word of God in thoughtful and stimulating ways;
• an energy and dynamism probably more extrovert than introvert;
• a pastoral heart, showing empathy and good listening skills,
• a willingness to empower, encourage and work collaboratively with lay leaders across a wide spectrum of activities in the church community;
• an ability to build relationships both within the church, in the local community and between local churches in Sanderstead;
• the ability, willingness and experience to help us to develop and enjoy a variety of worship styles, including a wider range of musical worship and a deeper corporate prayer life -whilst recognising and valuing our heritage;
• good, proven, organisational skills -if possible, with some experience of working in the secular world;

We can offer:

• a long heritage of faith and commitment; many in our congregation are “seniors” which, although it does not necessarily match the demography of the wider Sanderstead community, means that faith and tradition have deep roots in our church;
• a warm, loving, caring, prayerful, supportive and accommodating congregation that does not demand a great deal of choreography but enjoys traditional liturgy and is gradually exploring new styles of musical worship;
• a church based on a sound financial footing, with a generous congregation;
• a willingness to grow spiritually, to pray together, to meet and learn together in home groups;
• a fine, well maintained, spacious family-sized rectory.

The parish currently has a Rector (post vacant), a non-stipendiary assistant priest and a pastoral coordinator, all based at All Saints. There are two administration assistants, both employed part time, one of whom manages the hall bookings.

Our service patterns are as follows:

• 1^st and 3^rd Sundays are formal Eucharist services, normally with choir.
• 2^nd and 4^th Sundays are family worship, a more informal style with holy communion.
• Messy Church is usually on the third Sunday of the month at 3.30 pm.
• 5^th Sundays are an opportunity to try different forms of worship

All Saints church halls were built in the 1950s. The building includes meeting rooms and offices, one of which is occupied by ‘Sanderstead Neighbourhood Care’, a local charity supported by many All Saints folk.

A full-time caretaker/groundsman and a parttime caretaker/keyholder are employed to clean and oversee the day to day running of the halls and grounds.

St Anthony’s is a hall church in Hamsey Green and it is the only church in the area. The building is used as a community resource during the week and converts into a church when services are to be held.

The diocese is committed to appointing and accommodating a pioneer minister to develop the ministry here.

For an informal conversation with the Archdeacon of Croydon, please contact the Archdeacon’s PA Kathleen.bailey@southwark.anglican.org to arrange a time for a phone conversation.

Closing Date: Sunday 12 June 2022

Parish Visit for shortlisted candidates: Monday 11 July 2022

Interviews: Monday 11 July 2022

Please note we have a policy in Southwark Diocese that to be appointed to an incumbent status post, a priest must have served a title in an Anglican church in the British Isles.

This post is subject to DBS enhanced disclosure.