Rural Dean and Team Leader

Is God calling you to an exciting new opportunity in Cornwall?

The post of Rural Dean for Kerrier Deanery is a ground-breaking appointment for the person God is calling to serve in this stunning part of Truro Diocese in South West Cornwall.

We are looking for an experienced minister to serve as Rural Dean, to minister across the Deanery, and to establish a new and vibrant leadership team.

Being an experienced team leader, the new Rural Dean will be instrumental in the recruiting and leading of a new team for mission and ministry to include a new stipendiary Pioneer Minister, a full time Social Justice Lead and part time Leads in Pastoral Care and Children, Youth and Family Ministry.

The new Rural Dean will work in partnership with other colleagues, both ordained and lay, to shape a new approach to rural ministry that will enable the Deanery to embrace a vision to ‘serve the poor, reach the young and care for the earth’, with renewed confidence.

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity for a dedicated, lively and pioneering leader.
What we are looking for in our Rural Dean:

• A willingness to embrace change and experience of leading and supporting others through change
• Active and collaborative leadership, offering encouragement, direction and support across the churches and communities in the Deanery
• A missional mindset for ministry which seeks, and acts upon, all opportunities to grow the church numerically and spiritually
• A love and understanding of rural ministry as a ministry of both presence and place alongside the capacity for shaping new and creative approaches.

• Have responsibility for the implementation and oversight of the mission of the Deanery as established in the Deanery Plan.
• Provide active and collaborative leadership, offering encouragement, direction and support across the churches and communities in the Deanery.
• Oversee, lead and line manage the Kerrier Team Ministry to include ordained colleagues, Curates, SSMs, PTOs, Readers and Lay Ministers.
• Invest in the development of leaders, both lay and ordained.
• Plan and lead high quality worship in differing contexts and traditions.
• Develop an engaging and welcoming culture within the Deanery.
• Work closely with Churchwardens and other key lay office holders.
• Lead and embed safe and healthy working practices and policies including safeguarding, wellbeing, and health and safety.
• Fulfil the responsibilities of the Rural Dean as required by the Bishop.
• Communicate clearly and directly, using tact and diplomacy as and when required.

Be an experienced team leader and line manager, with experience of working with a wide variety of people, both lay and ordained, to enable ministry opportunities to flourish.

A missional mindset for ministry which seeks, and acts upon, all opportunities to grow the church numerically and spiritually.

Be excited by the opportunities of rural ministry, whilst being realistic about the challenges.

Experience of pastoral care in the community having both oversight and engagement with it.

Experience and joyful acceptance of a variety of forms of worship.

Be a confident and compelling preacher and teacher, able to embrace and adapt to different contexts and traditions, able to demonstrate excellence as a leader in ministry and mission to grow the church.

Able to help parishes take difficult decisions when necessary.

A willingness to embrace change and experience of leading and supporting others through change.

Be imaginative, creative, flexible.

Have the ability to relate to people of all ages.

An ability to recognise and encourage the gifts of others.

An understanding of the mandatory requirements of safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion.

IT proficient, for example with Microsoft Office, email etc.

Willingness & ability to travel around Deanery

A teacher who can open our hearts and minds to God.

Able to communicate clearly and directly, using tact and diplomacy as and when required.

Prayerful and compassionate with an openness and generosity of spirit.

A passion for people and an enthusiastic desire to bring them to faith.

Good time management & self-care.

An inspirer and carrier of hope for the Church and the Kingdom in times of significant challenge and change.

We will be a church dedicated to worshipping and following Jesus, growing together in faith and discipleship, and working actively to support the people we live among.

We will work together in the Deanery and work with other agencies in our Deanery and beyond, as we serve our local communities and care for the vulnerable.

We seek to bring people of all ages to faith and to the knowledge of the love of God in their lives.

Kerrier Deanery Vision document can be see upon request to the Archdeacons' Office.

Closing date: 27th October 2022 at 5.00pm
Shortlisting: 1st November 2022
Visits and interviews: 15th and 16th November 2022