We seek to appoint an Assistant Priest to immerse themselves in all aspects of ministry in a busy Benefice. We are looking for someone to join us on this journey, of sharing and equipping our benefice for the future.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates who would increase the diversity of our Ministry Team.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact The Revd Paula Challen on 01327 350459 or email rector.tovebenefice@gmail.com.

Applications preferred from our website Diocese of Peterborough | Vacancies (peterborough-diocese.org.uk) or by emailing the PA to the Archdeacons: pa.archdeacons@peterborough-diocese.org.uk

• To be a trusted member of the Ministry Team, operating within clear time parameters and taking on key responsibilities;
• To engage fully in team meetings, worship, training, decision-making and with a willingness to provide thoughtful challenge, creative solutions and constructive debate;
• To be responsible for the on-going engagement with the PCCs of Greens Norton and Bradden and oversight of 4 formal meetings each a year – 2 via Zoom and 2 in person;
• To support Pastoral Ministry across the Benefice (including taking a share of home visiting and residential home services);
• To take a share of Occasional Office Services drawing upon the strengths in ministry of the successful applicant;
• To be involved in and support the work and training of the Benefice Children and Families Mission Enabler, Curate and other Lay Ministers.

We are a developing Benefice, with a diversity of worship, continuing to forge closer links between the parishes and moving forward together. Each Parish faces its own distinct challenges but together we feel we need an Assistant Priest who:

• will serve as a valued member of the Ministry Team, with particularly well-developed digital skills (Life Events Diary and Zoom experience would be helpful) and with strong financial literacy;
• ably operates within the variety of worship styles (e.g. Communion, BCP and informal worship) and leads worship in a creative and inspirational way (including preparing for and delivering worship online);
• has strong previous experience of working alongside PCCs as a key stakeholder;
• is able to work autonomously;
• enjoys engaging in creative discussions with the wider community; proactively, enthusiastically and empathetically seeking to grow experiences of the Kingdom of God for all our parishioners.

The Tove Benefice was created in March 2007 when the Parishes of Towcester with Caldecote and Easton Neston were joined with the Parishes of Greens Norton and Bradden. Towcester with Caldecote and Easton Neston parishes have been linked for many years although serving very distinct congregations. Bradden and Greens Norton have long established links and were included in a Benefice by a previous Deanery re-organisation. The current structure is confirmed in the Deanery plan and is unlikely to alter in the near future.

We have now been a Benefice for 15 years with the churches working together to continue to build the Kingdom as one Benefice. Our intention is always to work as a Benefice, to serve the community and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.

We are an outward looking Benefice, increasingly look to raise our profile. We are also becoming known for the wider support that we provide. In 2021 we hosted pilgrims from the Camino to COP which in turn instigated a small group from across the Benefice to explore renewable and sustainable energy provision. Thanks to a feasibility study grant we were able to enlist the help of consultants, who produced a Benefice-wide recommendation report. This report is in the process of being reviewed and next stages set out.