Our aspiration is to be a modern faith-filled community of worshipping disciples on God’s mission. If you feel that you could lead us in that work then we welcome your interest.

Bowdon is a delightful community on the edge of Altrincham and within easy reach of Manchester. There is so much happening here and so many opportunities. Great schools, fine facilities, a talented and supportive congregation and many networks to engage with.

We are looking for a priest who will:-

• Seek to deepen our relationship with God through prayer and discipleship and who can help create opportunities to share God’s message with all.

• Keep constant and clear for us God’s purpose in the busyness of our working lives.

• Work with our teams to develop our vision and strategies to encourage growth with energy and enthusiasm.

• Demonstrate the ability, desire and emotional resilience to lead and shape our flourishing diversity whilst holding us in spiritual unity.

• Nurture, support and develop our teams of lay leaders.

• Relate successfully to all people, whether young or old, busy and flourishing or lonely and lost and those with protected characteristics.

Closing date: 5 November 2023

Interviews: 21 November 2023

The Bishop of Stockport, The Right Reverend Sam Corley is available for a conversation should you wish. Tel: 07878 371 897, or email bpstockport@chester.anglican.org

Applications should by preference be made to the USING THE DIOCESAN APPLICATION FORM available on the website:

https://www.chester.anglican.org/incumbent-of-st-marys-bowdon.php

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.