The brand new Dover Town Group are looking for a Mission Priest to join the Team Rector in the task of designing and developing an entirely new pattern of mission and ministry in the historic town of Dover.
The five parishes have already gone through a 2 year period of structural and legal change. Now there's the opportunity to build on those changes with the long-term goal of creating a wide-ranging college of ministry across the town that will encompass every aspect of its life.
Your role will have three dimensions:
- first, to work with the Team Rector and the newly-formed Ministry Leadership Team to build vision, develop our strategic plan and encourage our diverse parishes to work more closely with one another;
- second, to take the lead across the Group for helping us to develop mission, both as evangelism and as community engagement. You’ll need to work in partnership with a wide variety of churches and other agencies and have a passion for empowering others;
- third, to have pastoral oversight of the parishes of Buckland and Charlton. You'll need to love and nurture their Anglo-Catholic tradition as well as finding innovative ways to help them fulfil their calling, and to grow both spiritually and numerically.
This is a moment of great opportunity. Here is the chance to be involved at the very beginning of a new ministry, to help shape it, direct it and enable it to become fruitful.
The post of Mission Priest is funded by a rolling 5-year Mission Grant from the Diocese of Canterbury.
Roles and responsibilities:
- to work with the Team Rector and other ministry colleagues in forming a strategic plan to develop ministry and mission within the Dover Town Team and Group.
- to take the lead across the Team and Group for developing mission initiatives within that plan, including community partnerships and evangelism.
- to create, lead, facilitate and support teams of lay people to deliver specific mission and community projects throughout the Team and Group.
- to have special pastoral responsibility for the parishes of Buckland-in-Dover St Andrew with St Nicholas Buckland Valley and Charlton St Peter & St Paul.
- to work with the leaders of Cross-Links, an ecumenical fresh expression of church in Buckland, in developing a strategy to expand its ministry.
- to participate fully in all aspects of the collegiate ministry of the Dover Town Team and Group.
- to take full advantage of opportunities for personal and professional development.
They are looking for someone who:
- is able to demonstrate a commitment to a collegiate style of ministry.
- will encourage and develop the ministry of lay people.
- has a good understanding of the theology of mission and its application to local contexts.
- has experience of working in partnership with other agencies and groups within a local community.
- has experience of participating in and sustaining mission initiatives.
- has a good understanding of and love for Anglo-Catholic liturgy, but an ability to work within a wide range of liturgical traditions.
- is at ease with both the inclusive and also the more conservative theological perspectives embraced by the faith communities within the Town and Group.
- is adept at giving pastoral care both within and outside the faith community.
- has a stable rhythm of personal spiritual practice.