Incumbent

St Paul with St Luke, Chester

We are seeking a full-time incumbent for this busy and welcoming Chester parish of evangelical tradition, with flourishing community links. There is a desire to reach out to younger generations, building on good existing youth and children’s work and links with local schools. A good modern vicarage is provided.

In particular, we are looking for someone who will:

• Maintain our character as a welcoming and friendly church.
• Have good interpersonal skills, and an ability to handle differences of opinion in sensitive and constructive ways.
• Foster a good safeguarding culture in the parish to ensure that church is a safe space for everyone.
• Seek to deepen our relationship with God through biblical teaching, and help the congregation grow in discipleship, prayer and evangelism.
• Base their theological approach on the Bible and take a broadly conventional evangelical approach to issues.
• Make our church services welcoming to all; for those new to church life, as well as for our existing congregation
• Build on our significant links with our church secondary school, to support staff as well as children, and maintain and extend our work in our other local schools
• Continue, develop and revitalise the ministry with children, young people and families.
• Enable, inspire, energise and enthuse people with a vision for the parish.
• Help people to use their spiritual and practical gifts to bring the vision to life.
• Be good at engaging with people, communicating clearly and confidently with them in formal and in personal situations.
• Work collaboratively as team leader, valuing and drawing out the gifts and skills present in our congregation, volunteers and employed staff.
• Offer wise and prayerful leadership from a strong personal faith.
• Be an effective leader in mission, able to encourage people to live out their faith in daily life.
• Lead by example.

Closing date for applications: 17 April

Interviews: 16 May

Prospective applicants are welcome to discuss the post with the archdeacon:

The Ven Dr Michael Gilbertson

Archdeacon of Chester

01928 718834 ext 253
07921 040154

michael.gilbertson@chester.anglican.org

Applications should by preference also be sent to this address

Please note: The Diocese of Chester will not interview any candidates for posts if they cannot provide an assurance of a valid DBS and up to date safeguarding training.

The Diocese of Chester is in the province of York in the Church of England, part of the global Anglican Communion. For more information about our life, ministry and work please visit our website www.chester.anglican.org We are linked with the Anglican Church of Melanesia in the Solomon Islands and the Dioceses of Aru and Boga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Diocese covers an area of 1025 square miles, approximately the old Victorian County of Chester, including parts which subsequently became absorbed into Merseyside and Greater Manchester. The Rivers Mersey and Tame approximately delineate the boundary with Liverpool and Manchester. There are areas of dense urban population, mainly in the north, stretching from Birkenhead to East Manchester. There are prosperous suburban regions of West and South Wirral, Chester and south of Manchester, with a mainly rural heartland, bounded by the Derbyshire Pennines and the Welsh Border. The overall population is around 1.6 million.

The Diocesan Bishop is Mark Tanner, Bishop of Birkenhead Julie Conalty and the Bishop of Stockport is Samuel Corley.

The Cathedral for the Diocese is in Chester.

The Diocese is divided into two archdeaconries: Chester covering the western half and Macclesfield the eastern, each with nine deaneries. There are 273 parishes, about 100 of which can be described as rural. Compared with many dioceses, there are few teams, and few multi-parish benefices. There are approximately 231 stipendiary clergy. The ministry of Readers and Pastoral Workers is important, with over 400 licensed. The role of self-supporting ministers is increasing, with over 80 in post at present.

Roughly speaking, the Archdeaconry of Macclesfield covers that part of the diocese to the east of the M6, plus the area around Crewe and Nantwich. The Archdeaconry of Chester covers the rest of the diocese to the west of the M6. Each archdeaconry has a broad mix of urban and rural parishes. The Archdeacon of Chester lives in Chester, and the Archdeacon of Macclesfield lives in Congleton. Both now work from Church House, Daresbury.