St John’s Clayton is a single church parish within a clearly defined large urban village in West Bradford. It has a growing population through new housing developments. St John’s has strong lay leadership and associated structures. it is designated as a Resourcing Church and has SDF funding to support this role.

Our vision as the Diocese is about confident clergy equipping confident Christians to live and tell the good news of Jesus Christ. For all of our appointments we are seeking clergy who have a joyful and confident faith which has inspired a track record of church growth.

Alongside the principal role as Vicar of Clayton this role also encompasses the roles of Interim Priest in Charge of 2 neighbouring parishes.

For an informal chat about the role please contact Archdeacon Andy Jolley on 07979 458403

St John’s Clayton is a single church parish within a clearly defined large urban village in West Bradford. It has a growing population through new housing developments. St John’s has strong lay leadership and associated structures. It was designated a Resourcing Church in 2019 and is receiving Strategic Development Funding from 2019-2027 to support revitalisation work in west Bradford. . This funding is providing Operations Management support to the Resourcing Churches, and a series of 2-year part-time Mission Apprentices to develop areas of mission and ministry. In return, the Resourcing Churches committed to share resources generously with neighbouring parishes and to send people graciously to help revitalise and plant churches. For St John’s, this currently means offering support to the nearby parishes of St Peter’s Allerton and St Saviour’s Fairweather Green as part of an Interim Ministry scheme.

There are three particular priorities for the new vicar, which apply at Clayton particularly, but also at Allerton and Fairweather Green:

a) To sustain and develop a ‘mixed ecology’ of effective forms of mission, ministry and styles of worship to grow a wider diversity of ages in the church, and especially with families, young people and children. This must include reaching out to those moving into the new housing developments in the area.

b) To continue building up confident lay ministry, both in depth and numbers. This will include developing pathways for evangelism and discipleship, encouraging new people into leadership and inhabiting a role as a strategic leader of leaders in a way which enables others to flourish. Hence, the incoming vicar will need excellent teaching, pastoral, communication, team building and team leadership skills.

c) To creatively develop and strengthen active and visible relationships within Clayton in particular and also in Allerton and Fairweather Green, both personally as an individual and also through the congregations. (S)he should be able to engage strategically with the life of the communities, fostering excellent relationships (for example) with the local schools, uniformed organisations, other churches and community organisations. I expect her/him to contribute with others to a shared vision for Clayton in particular, and West Bradford more widely.

We are looking for someone who has:

• Experience in the typical range of ordained CofE parish ministry
• A proven track record of commitment to and delivery of church growth
• A track record of leadership which empowers others and grows the confidence and gifts of God’s people
• Ability to cast vision, inspire, support and empower others, and develop appropriate strategies
• Effective manager of people as an enabler, delegator and team player and an effective line manager
• Experience of working well and collaboratively in a team
• Ability to co-ordinate and embrace different styles of worship
• Experience of reaching beyond church circles and enabling active community engagement
• A track record of collaborative work with other churches

The Diocese of Leeds was formed at Easter 2014. It is one of the largest dioceses in the country covering an area of around 2425 square miles and a population of around 2642400 people. The diocese comprises five Episcopal areas, each served by a suffragan Bishop. Each Episcopal Area is coterminous with an Archdeaconry.

The Diocesan Vision is ‘confident Christians, growing churches, transforming communities and so helping share the Good News of Jesus Christ across our Diocese’. This Vision is embedded into the Diocesan Strategy and Goals.

1. Thriving as a distinctive Diocese whose culture is shaped by a shared vision and values
2. Re-imagining ministry
3. Nurturing Lay Discipleship
4. Building Leadership pathways
5. Growing young people as Christians.

The Diocese is a mix of urban and rural. The area includes the major cities of Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield; the large industrial and post-industrial towns of Halifax, Huddersfield and Dewsbury; the market towns of Harrogate, Skipton, Ripon, Richmond and Wetherby; and the deeply rural area of the Yorkshire Dales.

The Diocese in unique in having three cathedrals; Bradford, Ripon and Wakefield. The Deans of the Cathedrals work together to provide key diocesan services.