We are a parish with one church and one church school, praying for an enthusiastic vicar to join us who will build on what has already been achieved and also try new and imaginative ways to grow the church and nurture discipleship. We have a particular desire to connect with children, young people and their families to inspire their faith in Jesus.

Ainsdale is a thriving and active community with a good community spirit and a village centre of small friendly business and a vibrant café culture. It sits in the middle of the Sefton coastline with dunes, pine forest and beach with miles of easy walking to enjoy. It is easily accessible from all over the North West.

The parish of St John’s is in the deanery of North Meols and has a population of 12,000 with a good range of primary and secondary schools.

The church offers a mix of worship styles, a PCC who will take responsibility for finance, buildings and administration, a re-ordered church building for flexible use, an active core leadership team and good parish finances and endorse the Covenant of Clergy Care & Wellbeing

The Vicarage is a large, comfortable detached house with four bedroom and gardens to the front and rear and an adjoining garage. It is across the road from the church and school which share an adjacent site and a short walk to the village amenities and station.

Closing Date: Wednesday October 11^th 2023

Interview Dates: Friday November 3^rd 2023

For more information please contact: Ven Pete Spiers Archdeacon of Knowsley and Sefton

Mob: 07590690780 or email: pete.spiers@liverpool.anglican.org.uk

• Growing the church, by finding ways of sharing the Gospel with others, particularly children, young people and their families.
• Supporting the work of the Church school and leading its worshipping life in an imaginative way.
• Inspiring the growth in faith of Christians of different ages and traditions of worship, and supporting them as they do
• Encouraging a greater number of the existing congregation to discern their gifts and to share them with the community.

Our ideal candidate is:

• Open hearted and welcoming to all
• Passionate to see spiritual growth in others
• Confident and energetic
• Approachable and good listener
• Resilient and flexible
• Empathetic and prayerful

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 – consistent with the whole of the Church of England. We have articulated a vision for this growth by saying

we are asking God for a bigger church so that we can make a bigger difference:

more people knowing Jesus and more justice in the world.

In our diocesan vision we have identified four priority areas for our work in mission in this season:

Introducing people to God through Jesus Christ

Deepening discipleship, especially by means of our Rule of Life

Developing Christian leaders in every place

Working for justice

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 Diocesan 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.