The Diocese of Liverpool wishes to appoint a Team Vicar in the Wigan Team Ministry, to be a part of the leadership team of Church Wigan, and to minister and lead particularly in the churches of the parish of Wigan South.

This is a full-time stipendiary appointment.

We are praying for someone who will continue to shape a culture which forms authentic disciples of Jesus in a growing mixed ecology of church, so that God’s will is done ‘in Wigan as in heaven:’

We are asking for someone who will:

• Inspire people with a grounded vision for the growth of the Kingdom of God unveiled in the Parish of Wigan South, and reassure them with your kindness, resilience and hopefulness in Christ our good shepherd even as you help them follow him into new pastures and dark valleys.
• Nourish the ‘can-do’ approach to mission and ministry with Jesus at the centre, and which has already grown new worshipping communities and mission/justice initiatives.
• Create the conditions that help people know that they are loved: engaging prayer, clear communications, safe organisation and good pastoral care that builds trust and courage to share the love with others.
• Guide and empower key teams and leaders in a spirit of prayer, creativity and godly wisdom, and seek out those individuals whom the Spirit of Christ is lifting up to serve him.

The vicarage is in Ashton in Makerfield, close to St Thomas’ church. It is a large detached four bedroom house with study, downstairs toilet, lounge, large modern kitchen and dining room. Upstairs offers a bathroom, separate toilet and shower room. There is an integral garage, a good sized driveway, front lawn and a large back garden.

Closing Date: Monday 16th October 2023

Interview Dates: Thursday 9th November 2023

For more information please contact: Ven Simon Fisher, Archdeacon of St Helens and Warrington

Phone: 0151 705 2154 / 07525617067 or email: simon.fisher@liverpool.anglican.org

The Priorities

• Inspire people with a grounded vision for the growth of the Kingdom of God unveiled in the Parish of Wigan South, and reassure them with your kindness, resilience and hopefulness in Christ our good shepherd even as you help them follow him into new pastures and dark valleys.
• Nourish the ‘can-do’ approach to mission and ministry with Jesus at the centre, and which has already grown new worshipping communities and mission/justice initiatives.
• Create the conditions that help people know that they are loved: engaging prayer, clear communications, safe organisation and good pastoral care that builds trust and courage to share the love with others.
• Guide and empower key teams and leaders in a spirit of prayer, creativity and godly wisdom, and seek out those individuals whom the Spirit of Christ is lifting up to serve him.

Key Responsibilities

• You will oversee, develop and contribute to worship and good pastoral care across the parish, including occasional offices (at least one funeral a week).
• You will find, mentor, equip and release local missional and operational leadership teams.
• Working with the portfolio leads for discipleship, growing teams and leaders, and schools/families mission, you will help embed these disciplines into the life of the hub.
• You will lead on building key civic, community and ecumenical relationships with a view to ‘making a bigger difference’ in the local community.
• You will chair both the PCC of Wigan South, ensuring safe governance and effective operations, and the South Hub Leadership Team (HLT), which discerns and oversees the implementation of the hub mission plan.
• As a member of the Joint Council of the Benefice of Wigan, you will share in the executive leadership and governance of Church Wigan.

• ‘Seeks first the kingdom and his righteousness’ with a commitment to see the people and places of Wigan transformed, as well as the church.
• Broad theological understanding, willing to release the ministry of the whole people of God in a mixed ecology of church.
• Mature and generous faith in Jesus nourished by prayer, scripture and worship.
• Team player who works with others to find wisdom, resilience, and ways to overcome challenges.
• Proven relational leader who engages with people and builds trust with clear communication. Flexible thinker, with a history of seeing opportunity and creating new community. Enabler who loves to release people into their calling and is committed to growing teams and leaders.
• Prioritises the important in a tempest of urgent demands
• Devolves responsibility, delegates (especially ops and management) tasks whilst maintaining accountability.
• Is aware of financial issues and procedures
• Has a profound understanding of safeguarding.

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.