We are looking for a talented priest who will fulfil the vision and strategy with the lay leadership team to make us a God centred, relationship driven, life transforming church.

Birkdale is a thriving community with a ‘continental’ flavour full of wine bars, excellent restaurants and independent retailers. It is part of Southport, known as England’s Golf Capital, and has excellent transport links to Liverpool, Manchester and Preston.

The parish of St John’s is in the deanery of North Meols and has a population of 11,000 which is socially mixed with a good range of primary and secondary schools.

The congregation at St John’s has begun to flourish in their vacancy and they have formed a positive and constructive relationship with their sister churches St James and St Peter’s in Birkdale and it is essential that this relationship is nurtured and developed. We are looking for someone who will take particular responsibility for the young adults across all 3 churches therefore and work with the new vicar at St James and priest in charge at St Peter’s.

The vicarage is a 1930’s detached five bedroom house in an attractive, quiet residential area (17 Kirkstall Road, PR8 4RA) within short walking distance of the church. It has three reception rooms, kitchen, garage, outhouse, gas central heating and gardens to the front and rear. The master bedroom has ensuite facilities. It is in a good location for primary and secondary schools.

Closing Date: Monday January 9^th 2023

Interview Dates: Monday 30^th January 2023

For more information please contact: Ven Pete Spiers, Archdeacon of Knowsley and Sefton

Mob: 07590690780 or email: pete.spiers@liverpool.anglican.org.uk

The Main Responsibilities are:

• Working with the lay leadership team to fulfil the church’s vision and strategy
• Equipping the people of God from the Bible to use their gifts and talents and live out their faith in their daily life
• Actively engaging with the local community in Birkdale
• Promoting and developing the ministry with young adults across the Birkdale churches
• Collaborating with the newly appointed priest at St James/St Peter’s Birkdale to be a more effective Christian presence in Birkdale

Our ideal candidate

• Open hearted and welcoming to all
• Passionate to see spiritual growth in others
• Confident and energetic
• Collaborative and consultative
• Empathetic and prayerful
• Resilient and flexible

Being part of the Clergy Team in Liverpool Diocese

For many years we have been working to achieve growth in our diocese. We have used different ways to express this but the aim and direction of travel has remained the same – consistent with the whole of the Church of England. We have articulated a vision for this growth by saying

we are asking God for a bigger church so that we can make a bigger difference:

more people knowing Jesus and more justice in the world.

In our diocesan vision we have identified four priority areas for our work in mission in this season:

Introducing people to God through Jesus Christ

Deepening discipleship, especially by means of our Rule of Life

Developing Christian leaders in every place

Working for justice

Like everyone entering a new role in the Diocese, you will accept the priority of these areas, and will measure your ministry by effectiveness in these areas. You will be supported and expected to be accountable (through the Ministerial Development Review as well as through regular meetings with your colleagues) for how they are being implemented within your area of responsibility.

In common with all clergy in the diocese, you will work together with others to:-

1. Establish a culture of invitation in evangelism within the local church.
2. Start new worshipping communities and maintain existing healthy worshipping communities that are accessible to all.
3. Establish a culture in the local church of expecting a deepening of discipleship and putting into practice the 6 disciplines of the Diocesan Rule of Life.
4. Develop prayerfully a strategy for mission and church growth and aligning it with the Diocesan strategy Fit for Mission.
5. Identify, train, release and support new Christian leaders and teams.
6. Encourage vocations by identifying the gifts of others and assisting people to seek God’s calling for their lives.
7. Develop the distinctive ministry of the local Church within the wider context of the Diocese, Deanery and local ecumenical setting by establishing and maintaining good collaborative working relationships with clergy and lay colleagues.
8. Lead your congregations both to pray for justice in the Church and the world and to recognize how, working with others, your congregations can work for more justice in the Church, your local communities, and the world.
9. Ensure that safeguarding, financial and other governance disciplines are followed.