The Parish of West Buckrose consists of eight churches in nine villages in a beautiful part of rural North Yorkshire, to the east of the Howardian Hills, and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is close to the busy market town of Malton, which has a reputation as Yorkshire’s food capital, with food and drink festivals all year round.

The Deanery of Southern Ryedale offers, through its Deanery plan, opportunities to work collaboratively with neighbouring benefices to look for opportunities for growth. The Deanery is developing teams to tackle mission and evangelism goals, and encourages innovative ministry ideas. Our parish supports the Deanery in its goals, and we wish to engage positively with the wider church communities; improving how we live our lives in faith and action.

This is a 3 year interim incumbent post with the aim of developing a plan for fruitful missional growth with the adjacent benefices of Buckrose Carrs and the Wolds Valley parishes. Over the 3 years, we would expect the Rector to be active in the development of a plan to achieve missional and financial sustainability for the eastern part of the deanery of Southern Ryedale, working closely with the Area and Lay Dean.

What we offer:

• An exciting and attractive vision for change
• A three year interim appointment
• A united parish since 2005 with a single Parochial Church Council who work together as a single body, and is supportive and forward-looking.
• A diverse, collaborative environment - our churches are individual, but we know we are stronger together. Problems are shared, and solutions are sought by all.
• A significant wedding, funeral and christening ministry, a vital way of reaching out to our communities and beyond.
• A community which worships together but also hold 'special' services and events which draw participation from beyond our usual congregations, such as the open-air Christmas crib services in the pub carpark!
• A range of services from Evensong, Matins, Holy Communion, both traditional and contemporary, to more informal family-focused services.
• A strong core of committed people who organise and support church events, attend services in all the villages and are active in their communities.
• A committment to support our priest, recognising that they should have time for training, and will be paid appropriate expenses. We see this as a team-based role and the need to think strategically and ‘smartly’ to form, and work towards, goals and aspirations together.

We are seeking a priest who:

• Is a good communicator - able to ‘switch on’ a broad range of people - young and old, with traditional and contemporary views who represent the people who live here and visit the 8 churches.
• Has experience of and comfortable in, proactively engaging with the community using a wide spectrum of tools and techniques - face to face, social media, publications – whatever is appropriate!
• Shows a willingness to use different forms of service, eg. Prayer book and contemporary and to try other services such as Compline or Taizé.
• Is visible to our community, who is easy to talk to, approachable, who will go into schools, care homes, home visiting the sick, and take interest in community projects.
• Who can see the potential of our buildings, who has focus and will support and help us grow our social and fundraising events,
• Who has a sense of humour and of fun.

The Diocese of York

The Diocese of York, led and guided by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, takes in much of North and East Yorkshire. As the largest diocese in England, geographically, the area is very diverse, featuring a multitude of needs and opportunities. This includes the bustling urban centres of York, Hull and Middlesbrough, the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors National Park, and the incomparable Yorkshire Coast; as well as areas of deprivation in some of our urban and smaller rural and coastal communities.

Our mission and ministry relies on thousands of people - lay and ordained, volunteer and paid. Our diocesan teams provide a wide range of support services to our mission and ministry, including lifelong learning for ministry, the care of church buildings, and safeguarding. Together, we are striving to be a people who are ‘Living Christ’s Story’. We want to be a simpler, bolder, humbler church which in its diversity reflects the communities it serves. We are bringing renewed focus and fresh energy to achieving our aims:

• Becoming more like Christ
• Reaching those we currently don't
• Growing in discipleship, influence and numbers
• Transforming our finances and structures

Our approach is aligned with a commitment to the best of our parochial inheritance and to the poorest communities, and to the financial realities we face.

Under current immigration rules, it is not generally possible for us to appoint clergy who are not already eligible to work in the UK.

If you would like to have an informal conversation about this post, please contact the Bishop of Selby, the Rt Revd John Thomson tel: 01757 429982, or the Archdeacon of York, Ven Sam Rushton 01904 758241

Appointment is subject to a satisfactory Enhanced DBS disclosure.

An Introduction to Southern Ryedale video can be viewed HERE

Closing date for applications: Midnight on Sunday 2^nd April, 2023

Interviews: the afternoon of Monday 24^th into Tuesday 25^th April 2023