ROLE

Under the responsibility of the Team Rector, the Team Vicar will:

• be a key member of the benefice Leadership Team with primary responsibility for the parishes of Freshwater, Yarmouth and Totland Bay (the FYT Parishes);
• lead worship and occasional offices across the FYT Parishes and occasionally within the wider benefice if required;
• enable the churches to implement the FYT Parishes Mission Action Plan (MAP) as well as the MAPs of the individual parishes;
• be a visible sign of Christ’s presence in the community and demonstrate a clear understanding of rural and semi-rural ministry;
• lead by example – befriending, teaching and inspiring the churches to grow together in faith;
• Develop lay ministry, supporting and releasing the gifts of all in sharing ministry and pastoral care, whilst strengthening discipleship;
• work in the power and grace of the Holy Spirit with colleagues in the benefice, deanery and diocese;
• support the diocesan strategy to “Revive, Revitalise and Renew” and the diocesan vision to be “a rejuvenating community of Jesus-centred, Kingdom-seeking disciples”;
• share in developing an effective Ministry in the schools of the Benefice and ensure the highest protection of children and vulnerable adults in accordance with diocesan protocols and guidelines;
• maintain a discipline of prayer and study and hold a belief that Scripture should be at the heart of ministry;
• join the benefice clergy team in weekly prayer and planning.

PERSON

The successful applicant will:

• have a passion for sharing the Good News of Jesus;
• have an ability to listen, understand and help to broaden and deepen people’s relationship with God;
• inspire, shape and lead the parishes in accordance with the aims of the Mission Action Plans of the FYT Parishes;
• demonstrate an effective understanding of the challenges of working in rural ministry and with older communities;
• be able to engage with modern administrative processes and possess a working knowledge of the use of social media and other electronic means of spreading the Good News of Jesus;
• be able to lead the churches creatively into growth through teaching, worship, pastoral care, home groups and be able to engage with wider community;
• have the ability to engage with children and families and our Church of England school’s;
• be collaborative and flexible in ministry and outlook – working closely with colleagues, offer and receive support when needed and above all to pray and worship together;
• recognise that scripture must be at the heart of all that we seek to achieve;
• be supportive of the notion of ‘every member ministry’, recognising the importance of lay ministry.

Please read the attached Parish Profile for further information, or contact Julia Bridgeman to speak about this exciting post.

• Deadline for applications is Friday 12th December.
• Interviews for this post will be held on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th January.