Vicar of Blundellsands St Michael (Part-time or HfD) (Larger Single Parish)

Church of England; Sefton; Remote; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Housing allowance

Job summary

Church of England in Sefton seeks a passionate vicar to lead St Michael’s, recognise gifts in others, and mobilise volunteers to reach all ages with God’s mission. You will join a Clergy Leadership Team within the Larger Single Parish under the Diocese of Liverpool, contributing to the “Fit for Mission” strategy and local community impact.

The role is part-time (3 days + Sundays) with housing allowance pro rata or potential House for Duty, and requires flexible weekly planning and pastoral

Qualifications

• Passionate and energetic vicar who will recognise gifts in others and encourage use for God’s purposes.
• Lead teams of volunteers to reach out to all ages and grow St Michael’s in the community.
• Able to join a Clergy Leadership Team and work within the Diocese of Liverpool’s ‘Fit for Mission’ strategy.

Responsibilities

• Lead worship services and church activities.
• Develop missional activity and church growth in the Larger Single Parish.
• Coordinate with clergy and lay teams to deliver mission priorities.
• Ensure safeguarding, governance and financial disciplines are followed.

Skills

Pastoral leadership

Team leadership

Evangelism

Church growth

Volunteer coordination

Prayer and discernment

Education

Ordained ministry training

Job description

Overview

We are a church which has been transformed by the Leading Your Church into Growth programme and we would wish to continue to build our progress.

We are looking for a passionate and energetic vicar who will recognise gifts in others and encourage them to use them for God’s purposes and lead teams of volunteers to reach out to all ages and grow St Michael’s in the community. We want a vicar who will lead us to a deeper love of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

We are offering you a warm, welcoming and growing congregation who will support you both in prayer and practical aspects. We love to be actively involved in church services and events within and outside the church walls. We have a highly experienced PCC and team of Lay Readers, Church Wardens, Pastoral Assistant and Parish Administrator. We will be flexible in how you organise your week and know you need to take holidays and time off.

After prayerful discernment, St Michaels have committed to joining with several other parishes in Sefton North, as a new Larger Single Parish. This is part the Diocese of Liverpool ‘Fit for Mission’ strategy. Immediately you will join a collaborative and supportive Clergy Leadership Team who meet weekly to develop mission and ministry. In the Larger Single Parish much of the administration will be done by the central support services team, which will free your time, and that of lay people, to focus on missional activity which builds the church and the Kingdom in this place. Further information about Larger Single Parishes can be found on the Diocese of Liverpool website.

This is a part-time post equivalent to 3 days + Sundays without housing but with housing allowance provided pro rata or the option for House for Duty would also be possible.

Closing Date: TBC

Interview Dates: TBC

For more information please contact: Ven Pete Spiers. Archdeacon of Knowsley and Sefton

Mob: [phone] or email: [e-mail]

If you are interested in learning more about our Larger Single Parishes, please speak to our Archdeacons who would be happy to share any information or visit our website: Larger Single Parishes - Diocese of Liverpool

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 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.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.

We are continuing our work to actively increase the diversity of those working in the diocese and in pursuit of that we are using anonymous shortlisting.