The Benefice of Trowell, Awsworth and Cossall Invites applications for Priest-in-charge (Time-limited interim) 

The Benefice of Trowell, Awsworth and Cossall Invites applications for

 Priest-in-charge (Time-limited interim) 

Are you someone who can spot opportunities for mission and evangelism? Do you have experience of growing the church? Are you gifted in working with children, staff and parents of a Church of England Primary school? Do you have a passion for sharing the Gospel and reaching out to diverse communities made up of traditional rural villages rooted in an industrial heritage which are expanding with new housing developments?

Awsworth, Cossall and Trowell lie six to eight miles west of Nottingham with a combined benefice population of 5,500. They are separate villages situated in a rural area of attractive countryside on the edge of Derbyshire with many local facilities and schools including a Church of England Primary School. The three distinctive parishes have a history of working well together and are looking for opportunities to build on this.

We are looking for a Priest-in-charge who will lead the benefice into a new season of growth – refreshing vision, releasing others into ministry, growing the churches, and renewing the engagement of each church with its wider community. The Priest-in-charge would be supported by an able and committed ministry team alongside diocesan personnel.  This is a time-limited interim post offering an opportunity for the successful person to make significant change and impact in the benefice.

We are seeking a Priest in charge who has:

• A personal devotion to the Lord reflected and rooted in prayer
• A vision for, commitment to, and experience, of evangelism and church growth leading to a church community that welcomes and includes all people regardless of their gender, race, age, sexuality, disability, mental well-being or income level).
• An aptitude, experience and gifts in exercising strategic leadership, especially    towards vision and implementing plans for growth
• Excellent relational gifts, emotional intelligence, tenacity and resilience,
• The ability to discern, develop and deploy the gifts of others in mission and ministry
• The capacity for building and sustaining life-giving teams,
• The ability to lead and enjoy a variety of worship and musical styles, including Contemporary expressions.
• A commitment to, and expertise for, engaging biblical teaching and whole-life discipleship
• The ability to relate to, and inspire, children, young people and young families
• The capacity to see new missional opportunities and implement them.

The priorities of the role will be.

• To develop the Growing Disciples Plan for the benefice that sets out further ambitious objectives to shape ministry and mission
• To create a strategy to develop the stages from first enquiry through Alpha/START courses to full participation and integration in the church.
• To grow the church numerically so that it reflects the age profile of the parish populations
• To instigate and develop two new worshipping communities across the benefice including one in Trowell C of E school
• To raise the profile and engagement of the churches with each village including its online communication
• To grow a leadership team that reflects a younger demographic
• To increase the finances for mission and ministry.

This post is an interim Priest-in-charge post offered under section 29 (1) (j) and (7D) of the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of service) Regulations 2009 as amended. As a result, before the end of the first three years there would be a review involving the postholder, PCC and diocese to assess progress against the priorities outlined in the person specification section of the profile. This review could lead to a further extension of up to three years. The post could be made permanent after the maximum six-year period.

If you feel God is calling you to fill this vacancy, we would love to meet you.

Benefice Statement

 Closing Date: 7 November 2021 / Interview (provisional) 7 December 2021

Please apply via Pathways:

http://pathways.churchofengland.org/ • Ref No: cofe/TP/148/3557

For an informal discussion and further information contact:

The Ven Phil Williams, Archdeacon of Nottingham, on [email protected]

We welcome applications from suitably qualified clergy from all sections of the community and we strive to be an equal opportunity employer.  

Enhanced DBS clearance required.