Rector Condover Benefice (0.5) and Deanery Rural Church Missioner

Application Pathways  Church of England

Is God calling you to help us move from Winter to Spring?

A warm welcome awaits the person whom God is calling to be the next Rector of Condover with Ryton, Acton Burnell, Frodesley and Pitchford and our first Condover Deanery Rural Church Missioner.

The parishes of the Condover Benefice are in vacancy following the retirement of our most recent Rector. We are aware that we face the challenges typical of rural multi-parish benefices in terms of size and age of congregations, village populations, and the care of beautiful listed buildings. However, we are incredibly keen to work flexibly with a new Rector to meet those challenges. We need someone to give us the warmth, love, and attention required as we seek to discern together the vision of "spring" that a new Rector will bring.

We have also worked with the Rural Dean, the Deanery Chapter, and the Archdeacon in thinking about how our benefice could be a good fit with the wider Diocesan strategy in terms of supporting our smaller rural parishes. That has led to us being the first benefice and first deanery to pilot the new Rural Church Missioner (RCM) role. The RCM role is designed to support parish incumbents and laity to develop clear missional plans for the future of every church community and building in the deanery. There will be a close link with the Deanery's prayerful discernment of God's plans for mission locally.

The parishes, the post, and the person

You will find full details of all of these in the profile. We hope you will enjoy reading it and finding out more about us and the person we are seeking as Rector and Rural Church Missioner. In summary, though, we are praying for a rector and colleague who has the gifts, experience, and calling to:

• Give clear leadership and walk alongside us as we go through change
• Be an enabler who is committed to communicating and supporting innovative thinking and initiative among church members in the Benefice and Deanery
• Work collaboratively, flexibly and creatively with others across the Benefice and Deanery
• Be friendly and approachable and able to fire us with enthusiasm
• Have the ability to release and develop others to share their heart for prayer, bible teaching, and pastoral ministry
• Have flexibility, tolerance and patience to understand and work with rural communities
• Delegate effectively whilst providing support where needed
• Formulate missional, financial and pastoral plans for churches

• Train others in missional worship and events and develop a team

• Line manage the Deanery Co-ordinator

The ability to travel independently and quickly around a large geographic area on country roads is essential. Full, clean, driving licence and access to own car is desirable.

Thank you for your interest in this post, and please know that we are praying for you as you prayerfully consider whether God is calling you to serve Christ among and alongside us.

Practical details

Closing date for applications is Wednesday 30th October 2024

Shortlisting will take place on Tuesday 5th November 2024

Parish Visits will be on Tuesday 19th November 2024

Interviews will be on Wednesday 20th November 2024

If you have any questions, or would like to have an informal conversation about the post, please contact the Archdeacon of Ludlow, The Ven Fiona Gibson - Fiona.Gibson@hereford.anglican.org or 01588 673571.

This post requires Enhanced DBS clearance.