Priest in Charge - Launditch & Upper Nar benefice

The Launditch and Upper Nar benefice, on the outskirts of East Dereham and Swaffham is prayerfully seeking a priest to minister across our villages and delight in the life of our rural communities and in the primary and high schools in Litcham.

The Launditch & the Upper Nar parishes are currently part of the much larger Launditch & the Upper Nar Team Ministry. There has therefore been extensive consultation with the whole benefice, and a decision has been made to divide it into two. A House for Duty Team Vicar role has been advertised and will therefore become the House for Duty incumbency of the South Launditch benefice when the pastoral reorganisation is completed.

The current post will be the incumbent of the new, smaller, Launditch & the Upper Nar benefice when the Scheme is through. There are 7 active church communities who are embedded into the life of the villages of East Lexham, Gressenhall, Litcham with Kempston ( including Litcham School which offers primary and secondary education), Mileham, Rougham, Stanfield and Tittleshall. The smaller parishes of Longham, Weasenham, Wellingham, Wendling and West Lexham have churches which are currently fallow and bring opportunity for fresh thinking and re-creation, supported and enabled by the Diocesan Mission strategy.

There is an active ministry team of 4 retired clergy.

We are seeking a priest who will:

• Encourage growth and share faith in Christ, accompany others on their faith journey
• Support the desire for traditional worship in addition to pioneering new missional initiatives, valuing both old and new
• Seek to encourage younger and more diverse worshippers, setting up a new worshipping community in the first 3 years
• Work in partnership with the existing ministry team and churchwardens
• Develop a sustainable and effective pattern of ministry
• Strengthen links with the schools in Litcham, rejoicing in the opportunities this presents
• Be open to exploring new possibilities for the fallow churches through community engagement including the use of social media
• Proactively seek opportunities to build relationships across these communities
• Be committed to pastoral care of all in our communities
• Be keen to work with other village organisations for the benefit of our communities, encouraging fellowship with everyone

More information can be found in the Parish Profile and Bishop’s Letter

Closing date:
Wednesday 27th October (9.00am)

Interview date:
Thursday 10th December