We are inviting you to consider this new post created at a time when a cluster of parishes begin a journey together towards fruitfulness and sustainability. It is not for the faint-hearted but it is full of potential and the opportunity to make a difference as you shape a soon-to-be benefice and help to discern all that it can become under God.

The Deanery of East Wivelshire is one of six in the Archdeaconry of Bodmin. It comprises 19 parishes, mainly small and rural in nature but with some larger villages/ small towns.

Our work to create a deanery plan has led to the following priorities for mission:

• TAKING FAITH SERIOUSLY
  We will strengthen our existing congregations through regular discipleship programmes, feeding them spiritually and encouraging their growth in the Lord. We will encourage daily prayer, reading and studying the Bible, both individually and in groups, and will be open to all ways of developing a deeper faith.
• WORKING TOGETHER
  We will work in co-operation with congregations across the deanery, rejoicing in our variety of traditions and sharing our skills, gifts and resources thus recognising our need of each other so that we become a united Anglican presence in South East Cornwall.
• COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
  We will reach out to our local community, sharing God’s love and engaging with social action through Christians Against Poverty and by working with a range of organisations, agencies and groups including schools, colleges, health care providers and churches. In engaging with the wider community, we will be intentional in finding pathways to connect with faith, so that the Kingdom grows through our community engagement.
• REACHING OUT TO FAMILIES
  We will reach out to families, young people, children and schools, offering a variety of activities such as accessible worship, classroom teaching and pastoral support. We recognise there is work to do in understanding better their needs and the opportunities available in order for us to more effectively meet people where they are.

The successful candidate must be committed to:

• Leading a community of communities
• Equipping all the saints for the mission of God
• Enable a culture of practical and missional service
• Be faithful in prayer and worship.

The nature of Oversight Ministry is the essential strategy in the delivery of this exciting Deanery plan, to achieve fruitfulness and sustainability. This is not simply a traditional parish priest role with a lot of churches. It will require prayerful and sensitive strategies to help parishes transition to a “new model” of ministry.

Oversight Ministry is not to be interpreted as “hands off” or “administrative management”. We are looking for a priest who genuinely embrace the opportunity to identify the gifts and talents in others and have the skills and ability to develop those gifts appropriately, enabling people to find their place in serving God. However, they will be equally visible through their own ministry.

We are looking for candidates who will relish working with colleagues within the Deanery Leadership Team to develop a culture of collaboration and respect. In particular, to focus on working with teams of ordained and lay ministers to ensure that the ministry of the proposed new benefice is truly parochial, reaching out to those for whom the church is currently absent or irrelevant.

We offer the opportunity to:

• live and minister in a beautiful part of south east Cornwall with good connections to Plymouth;
• be part of a new deanery team helping to shape a new approach to mission and ministry
• flourish in a diocese committed to clergy wellbeing.

Within the Diocese of Truro we run a programme of Accompanied Ministry Development (AMD). The aim of AMD is: ‘to encourage, bless and challenge the People of God as we discover God’s Kingdom and grow the Church’. Cohorts of clergy and their parishes meet over a period of 12 – 18 months to discern God’s plans for their future ministry and mission. One of our current themes is Oversight Ministry to help equip clergy and parishes to be fruitful and sustainable in this model of ministry.

Please take a look at our website trurodiocese.org.uk/vacancies/ and Statement of Needs to find out more.

Closing Date: 1st January 2024, 12noon
Vocational Conv. Week: 8th January 2024
Parish Visit and Interviews: 15th and 16th January 2024

For an informal chat about the deanery:
Archdeacon of Bodmin, The Ven Kelly Betteridge at archdeacons@truro.anglican.org