The City of Brighton and Hove is an exciting and challenging context for vocational formation due to the diversity of its urban landscapes, its political energy and confident secularism, and its mix of poverty and affluence. Set in the middle of this context, All Saints Hove is an Anglican Church in the modern Catholic tradition, with a strong musical and liturgical focus and a ministry to those on the edges of society, particularly working alongside refugees and providing an inclusive welcome to the LGBTQIA+ community.

All Saints has recently been awarded Strategic Development Funding (SDF) by the Church of England, so that we might continue to grow as an Anglo-catholic resource church for the city of Brighton and Hove. This means that we have the opportunity to undertake projects and partnerships throughout the city, working with other churches to help them develop their own outreach and ministries. As a pastoral assistant you will play an integral part in this new and exciting development, working alongside our team of full-time staff to bring new ideas, energy and innovation to the task of resourcing mission across the city.

We are committed to offering energetic, young Christian people the opportunity to work in this exciting parish by glorifying God in worship and serving others. By doing this, we also want to make a contribution to the life of the Church of England by providing new candidates for ordination who have been enthused by a challenging and stretching experience within a vibrant Anglo-catholic parish.

We have been very fortunate over the past few years to have had our community blessed by the presence of several young interns working with us as they considered a vocation in the Church of England. The success of previous years has led us to grow the scheme and so we are now able to offer 3 year long placements (1st September 2022 - 31st July 2023).

What is a Pastoral Assistant?

Pastoral Assistants are young people who live, work and pray as part of our parish community. They are usually in their twenties or early thirties, and we particularly welcome those who are considering a vocation to ordained ministry in the Church of England.

The role of the Pastoral Assistant offers a broad range of opportunities for prayer and mission depending on the experience and ability of the candidate. The role of the Pastoral Assistant will combine a number of the following aspects:

Worship and Prayer

• Sharing fully in the life of prayer in the Parish, including attendance at the Daily Office (9am and 5pm, Monday–Friday) and Mass (Tuesday–Friday)
• Sharing the leadership of the Daily Office and other non-Eucharistic worship
• Preaching up to once a month (depending on experience)
• Leading intercessions at the Eucharist
• Being a Lay Minister of Communion and taking Communion to the sick
• Leading small group and creative worship

Teaching and Nurture

• Sharing the leadership of study groups

• Working with our Children and Youth Ministry Team

• Sharing the leadership of First Communion and Confirmation classes
• Leading assemblies in one of our local schools
• Visiting members of the congregation in their homes and supporting the clergy in their pastoral responsibilities
• Developing the nurturing the gifts of the laity

Service and Care

• Working alongside Refugees in our ‘Sanctuary’ project

• Supporting the development of the parish’s own community projects
• Spearheading your own community project
• Working with other churches and community groups to support them in the development and revitalisation of their own projects

Administration

• Helping with the preparation of Pew News

• Producing posters and publicity materials
• Assisting with the production of orders of service

The person appointed will be:

• Enthusiastic
• Able to take initiative
• Be able to work alone and in part of a team

• Self-aware

• Looking to grow in faith and help others to grow in faith
• At home with people from diverse backgrounds and with complex needs
• Willing to live in community with others

The Parish provides:

• An appointment of one year (1 September 2022–31 July 2023)

• Rent-free accommodation (including council tax, gas, electricity and water); the Pastoral Assistant will pay for their own food, personal telephone calls and house insurance

• The chance to live together as part of an intentional and supported spiritual community within the church complex.

• An annual allowance of £6,000 towards personal costs and food

• The reimbursement of all working expenses

• Regular supervision with the All Saints clergy team as well as an outside mentor and other ongoing support

• Membership of the Ministry team with a commitment to the daily office, regular staff meetings and occasional social events

• A developing Formation programme which will include theological study (alongside the Ministry Team) and monthly formation sessions

• Support and guidance in negotiating the Ordination selection process

• An annual retreat

• A UK based Pilgrimage

• One day off per week

• Four weeks holiday

All Saints is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders and volunteers are expected to share this commitment and appointments are subject to a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check.

We welcome applications from all. However, All Saints, Hove is aware that women and people of colour are currently under-represented within the Church of England and so we particularly encourage applications from these groups. Appointment will of course be based on merit alone.

What to do next

If you feel that the Lord might be calling you in some way to offer your life to him, then a year working as a part of our vibrant parish community here at All Saints might be something worth considering. Take a moment to look at our website at www.allsaintshove.org to get any further information you might need, and then get in touch with our Associate Vicar, Fr Lee, either by email at frlee@allsaintshove.org or on his mobile: 07398465223.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’
And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’

Isaiah 6.8