Google “Luton Road, Chatham” and you will find headlines describing the place as a “festering cesspit” and “one of Kent’s most violent streets”. Of course, the headlines are a long way from the reality of what community life here is actually like, but it is in the context of Luton’s reputation that our strapline is “Loving Life, Loving Luton”. We are longing to introduce people to the transformation that comes from a relationship with Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit so that they can experience life in all its fullness.

The Bishop of Rochester would like to appoint a Priest-in-Charge (with a particular focus as “Community Missioner”) to work with us as we participate in the Missio Dei in this part of Chatham. We believe that God has given us a vision to have and to demonstrate “open hands, open hearts and open doors” through our relationships with Him, each other and our community. We are looking to appoint someone to join us and support us as we make that vision a reality. Work is already underway. We run a Pre-School which provides early years education for 50 children. We are launching a Make Lunch kitchen later this year to address holiday hunger, and we are also in the early stages of a project to re-develop our church building to provide a much-needed social gathering space for our local community.

The PCC have identified a number of areas which we hope will form the basis for the ministry of our "Community Missioner"

• Community transformation: To be a “Community Missioner” for Luton and Capstone, sharing with us in forging relationships with residents, businesses, schools and other community organisations, developing opportunities for the Church to serve the local community.
• Evangelism: Proclaim the Gospel in word and deed, taking opportunities to share and demonstrate the Christian faith with those who don’t yet know Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Prayer & worship: To journey with us in prayer, helping us to continue to develop a mixed economy of worship styles and using the occasional offices to enable our community to encounter God.
• Equipping for mission: Equip and enable members of Christ Church to share their faith in their everyday lives so that we become disciples who make disciples who make disciples, and a church that plants churches that plants churches.

We would like to hear from you if you are:

• up for the challenge of incarnational mission in an area of need;
• have experience of ministering amongst deprived communities;
• an evangelist committed to sharing the Gospel through words, works and wonders;
• committed to using the natural and supernatural gifts of the Spirit

For more information about this application process, please use this link

You will be joining a missional, worshipping community eager to make a difference in our local area and who are committed to shared ministry – so it won’t fall to the “Vicar” to do everything!

Interview Date: 15th May 2019