Can you imagine earnestly praying ‘in Wigan as in heaven’? Could you be inspired by a vision rooted in Isaiah 35’s promise of seeing dry places burst into bloom? Do you have the energy and courage to lead people ‘off the map’ if the Spirit of Christ so guides?

If yes, being Hub Leader of Wigan Town Centre and Wigan Central might be the challenge for you.

This is a senior clergy leadership position at the heart of the Benefice of Wigan, known as ‘Church Wigan.’ The new large parishes of Wigan Town Centre and Wigan Central, comprising seven inherited worshipping communities and several emerging fresh expressions, work together as one ‘mission hub’ that unites people in vision, pools resources and stimulates diversity and creative outreach. By virtue of its location, the Town Centre and Central Hub has a unique opportunity to give light to the whole ‘house’ of Church Wigan (Matthew 5.14-16).

It’s a big task - but you won’t have to do it alone. A core value of Church Wigan is being team. As Hub Leader, you’ll be part of the closely supportive Wigan clergy team as well as the local hub team. We’re discovering that, led by Jesus and with the creativity, resilience and friendship that comes from praying and working closely with others, amazing things can happen!

Short Listing: Tuesday 28th March 2023

Interviews: Tuesday 18th April 2023

For more information on this vacancy please contact the acting Archdeacon of Wigan and West Lancashire the Revd. Canon Sam Nicholson on: Sam.Nicholson@liverpool.anglican.org

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 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.

Key responsibilities include:

• Nourishing the emerging culture of Jesus-led mission which celebrates diversity, innovation and a growing mixed ecology of church.
• Cultivating the conditions which form authentic disciples of Jesus who naturally and intentionally carry the gospel with them into all parts of their lives.
• Guiding key teams and leaders in a spirit of prayer and godly wisdom, including the Hub Leadership Team and the PCC of Wigan Town Centre.
• Discerning how the historic Wigan Parish Church can contribute to the civic and cultural life of the town centre.
• Providing focal ministry to worshipping communities with real growth potential.

Our ideal candidate will:

• Discern a clear calling to Wigan, delighting to see its people live as disciples of Jesus and its places blossom and flourish.
• Pray and seek God’s kingdom, desiring to see transformation in the community and not just a comfortable church.
• Thrive in the uncertainty of change, reassuring people with their resilient, non-anxious presence and stirring them with a prophetic voice.
• Be a spiritual investor, identifying potential in others and delighting to see fruit grow on their tree.
• Rejoice in being part of a team.

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:

“We are asking God for a bigger church so we can make a bigger difference”; said another way: “We long to see more people knowing Jesus and more justice in the world.”

To achieve this vision we are rolling out a diocesan strategic transformation project called ‘Fit for Mission’ which is an ambitious, growth-orientated and locally delivered change programme to enable mission and ministry to flourish in the Diocese of Liverpool. All clergy in the Diocese are expected to align themselves fully with this vision and work to its fullest possible implementation.

We have 4 mission priorities which are foundational to this vision:

(i) introducing people to Jesus;

(ii) deepening discipleship;

(iii) developing Christian leaders, and

(iv) working for justice.

We are determined to make these priorities real in our life and ministry that includes:

• a commitment to working in teams rather than in isolation,
• a major investment in lay leadership,
• a radical re-structuring of our parishes and
• a releasing of clergy to enable them to focus much more fully on their gifts and vocational call.