Six years ago there was no church on the Mereside estate in Blackpool.

Today, Freedom Church is a vibrant, inclusive Christian community committed to declaring the Gospel to this large housing estate through generous service and confident proclamation.

Following the departure of The Revd Linda Tomkinson (the original planter), Freedom Church is seeking a priest in the open evangelical tradition with a rich love for God’s people who can lead the church into the next stage of its development.

What we offer:

• The Freedom Centre, a stunningly re-imagined church hall which acts as an amazing base for worship and social activities
• The Blackpool Ministry Experience Scheme which brings a community of young adults to the estate who offer their gifts to Freedom Church and other churches in Blackpool
• A pioneering multi-congregation model which offers a range of ways to be part of the life of Freedom Church
• Some outstanding, locally-formed lay leaders and a paid part-time community evangelist to ensure that ministry is never lonely
• A rich and varied worship tradition with contemporary music and a love for the Eucharist
• A church that is nationally funded through SDF and a role model for this and other dioceses for planting onto estates

We seek a priest who:

• Will serve all the people of Mereside and continue to develop and grow Freedom Church in line with Vision 2026
• Is committed to our vision to be a truly inclusive community, where all are welcome and known to be loved by God
• Has strong relational skills and delights in a rich pastoral ministry of presence across the estate, confidently engaging with schools and voluntary sector groups
• Brings imagination, agility and humour to ministry and loves to try out new ideas, even when they don’t work out!
• Loves to call and form new leaders and will enjoy leading the Blackpool Ministry Experience Scheme
• Has the skills to address sustainability issues around governance and finance and help Freedom Church to become a permanent feature of life in Mereside

Church website: https://freedomchurchmereside.org.uk/

For information about Blackburn diocese please follow this link: https://jobs.churchofengland.org/blackburn/vision-2026/

For information on making an application through Pathways please follow this link: https://jobs.churchofengland.org/HELP/candidate-faq/

To make an informal enquiry about the post please contact The Venerable David Picken, Archdeacon of Lancaster Tel 07493 299677 / david.picken@blackburn.anglican.org

Closing date for applications: Friday 28th April 2023

Interview date: Thursday 25th May 2023 2023