Part-time Incumbent St John's, Guilden and St Peter's, Plemstall

St John’s Guilden Sutton and St Peter’s Plemstall

We are seeking a part-time incumbent for this semi-rural benefice of central church tradition near the cathedral city of Chester. The post is for Sunday duties plus 3½ days per week in return for a 50% stipend. There are strong links with the church school, and committed and supportive lay leadership. A good modern parsonage is provided.

We need a leader who is:

• Firmly rooted in the Gospel and demonstrates Christian love in action.
• Committed to seeing God’s Kingdom grow in our parishes as we discover and share his transforming love.
• Able to inspire, encourage and teach us to live out our faith in daily life, listening to what God is calling us to do in our parishes.
• Warm, empathetic and approachable by people of all ages and backgrounds.
• An effective communicator with good presentation skills.
• Passionate about reaching the younger generations for Christ and able to lead us in building on our relationship with Guilden Sutton C of E Primary School and our work in Messy Church and Café Kids.
• A good organiser and team player, able to delegate while identifying, developing and using the gifts of others.
• Able to recognise, nurture and build on the strengths of our churches, whilst being realistic about what we can achieve with the resources we have.
• Able to embrace and lead the introduction of helpful innovations, including in worship, whilst being respectful of past traditions.
• Able to provide strong leadership in safeguarding, encouraging everyone to participate in the creation of a safe and welcoming environment.

Closing date: 13 September

Interviews: 20 October

michael.gilbertsonlican.org

• The Diocese of Chester is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• An Enhanced DBS Disclosure will be required for the successful candidate.
• Applicants are required to submit relevant training certificates with their applications. They will not be shortlisted unless they can provide an assurance of up-to-date safeguarding training and a valid DBS check for their current post.

• We will welcome applications from underrepresented groups.

The Diocese of Chester is in the province of York in the Church of England, part of the global Anglican Communion. For more information about our life, ministry and work please visit our website (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). We are linked with the Anglican Church of Melanesia in the Solomon Islands and the Dioceses of Aru and Boga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Diocese covers an area of 1025 square miles, approximately the old Victorian County of Chester, including parts which subsequently became absorbed into Merseyside and Greater Manchester. The Rivers Mersey and Tame approximately delineate the boundary with Liverpool and Manchester. There are areas of dense urban population, mainly in the north, stretching from Birkenhead to East Manchester. There are prosperous suburban regions of West and South Wirral, Chester and south of Manchester, with a mainly rural heartland, bounded by the Derbyshire Pennines and the Welsh Border.

The overall population is around 1.6 million.

The Diocesan Bishop is Mark Tanner, Bishop of Birkenhead Julie Conalty and the Bishop of Stockport is Samuel Corley.

The Cathedral for the Diocese is in Chester.

The Diocese is divided into two archdeaconries:

Chester covering the western half and Macclesfield the eastern, each with nine deaneries. There are 273 parishes, about 100 of which can be described as rural. Compared with many dioceses, there are few teams, and few multi‑parish benefices. There are approximately 231 stipendiary clergy. The ministry of Readers and Pastoral Workers is important, with over 400 licensed. The role of self‑supporting ministers is increasing, with over 80 in post at present.

Roughly speaking, the Archdeaconry of Macclesfield covers that part of the diocese to the east of the M6, plus the area around Crewe and Nantwich. The Archdeaconry of Chester covers the rest of the diocese to the west of the M6. Each archdeaconry has a broad mix of urban and rural parishes. The Archdeacon of Chester lives in Chester, and the Archdeacon of Macclesfield lives in Congleton.

Both now work from Church House, Daresbury.