At All Saints, we aim to be an inclusive Christian intergenerational family that worships God joyfully each day of our lives, while serving God in our community. We are looking for a priest who is unreservedly Christ-centred and whose faith is grounded in the love of God - deeply rooted in the Gospel, and yet also appreciative of the fact that our human understanding of the truth is always dependent on circumstances.

We really do try to welcome everyone!

As a community we love to pray together in faith and rejoice together in fellowship. We care about each other and people in need. We share our resources of time, ability and wealth and share our hope in Jesus, growing in discipleship, responsibility and love of God who has been revealed to us by His Son, Jesus. We do all this knowing that we are accepted as we are by each other and the God in whom we believe.

Because of our inclusiveness as a church family we represent a wide spectrum of theological
viewpoints, and yet the main thrust of our identity as a church family is that of acceptance and
encouragement. The person we are looking for should be comfortable with this.

They should be:

• Someone who shares our vision of being a people who look ‘Up > In > Out’ in that order: looking up to God for direction and inspiration, inwards to support, encourage and equip one another in the church family, and outwards to enable us to be salt and light in our community in the parish and wider world.
• Someone with a pastoral heart, able to relate to, have empathy towards and communicate with people of very different backgrounds and circumstances.
• A team-builder - not an empire-builder: able to work collaboratively at Deanery, community, and congregational levels, and to encourage and support ministry in others.
• Well-organised – we have no paid parish administrator. Able to use technology effectively and imaginatively to support their ministry, and someone who appreciates and strives for a healthy work/life balance for themselves and others.
• Creative: able to blend more traditional aspects of church life with innovative approaches which may diverge from traditional expectations of church.
• Missional: with a heart for mission, bringing pioneering focus to their ministry, seeking ways to connect with those who have had little, if any, contact with church.
• Transformative: with an infectious passion for the Gospel, enabling new life to continue to flourish with our church and community.

Our Parish

The church sits within the Northgate ward of east Canterbury. The area is mainly residential, with family and temporary accommodation, a women's refuge centre, a number of children’s centres, three primary schools, a residential care home, a leisure centre, out-of-town retail, and a large student population. We have a preschool adjacent to the church, and two early years projects nearby. Also close by is a community centre and a youth club.

We are very aware that the parish is the most deprived in Canterbury, and the Northgate ward
contains one of the 20% most deprived communities in England. However, the parish has a very strong community feeling – many of the families who live here have lived locally for a number of generations and know each other well. There is a culture of mutual support and loyalty. The strong sense of community is often enhanced by extended family living near one another.

About the Diocese of Canterbury

Founded in 597 by St Augustine, Canterbury Diocese is the oldest diocese in England and has a special place in the life of the national and worldwide Church. With its iconic Cathedral it forms a focal point for the life of the whole Anglican Communion, offering a spiritual home and place of pilgrimage for people from every nation and walk of life.

Kent is renowned as the ‘Garden of England’ and this rural heart is core to our identity – yet the communities we serve are very diverse. Our Diocese stretches from Maidstone to Thanet, from the Isle of Sheppey to the Romney Marsh. We have 350 miles of coastline with historic ports and seaside resorts, alongside rural communities, market towns and commuter-belt urban developments. Affluent areas often sit alongside pockets of major deprivation, offering an exciting and challenging mission context.

By God’s grace we want to be a people who are...
…confident & creative disciples of Jesus Christ
...rooted in scripture & drenched in prayer
…living gratefully, giving generously, caring for creation & sharing the gospel
...growing in number & expectations – of God & ourselves
...motivated by justice & love, open to the Spirit & ready for adventure!