This is a joint appointment split between Fountains church BMO and St Margaret's Church Frizinghall.
Fountains Church Bradford
Following widespread consultation, the Bishop’s Mission Order (BMO) for Fountains Church Bradford was created in May 2019. After a few months of groups meeting to pray, a worshipping congregation was launched in September 2019. Following protracted negotiations with the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, a 150 year lease was acquired for a building of former night clubs at Glydegate. Building work to renovate the site has now ben completed.
As a city centre church, in a central location, Fountains Church is expected to be a 7-day a week operation, with appropriate midweek ministries, including social enterprise as well as evangelistic and disciple-making activities. As well as the main Sunday afternoon congregation, It has created three other worshipping communities that meet at Glydegate: Saturday Gathering, Wrestling Church and International Congregation. Along with St Margaret’s Frizinghall, Fountains also has a network relationship with the outer estate parish of St Michael’s Shelf with St Aidan’s Buttershaw. It is also currently offering support to St Saviour’s Fairweather Green.
St Margaret’s Frizinghall
St Margaret’s is an inner city parish with a predominantly Asian Muslim population. The church has key strengths in lay leadership and in ministry with children and young people. It has also enjoyed a strong reputation locally for its community-facing ministry, especially with young families through PATCH (toddler group), assemblies and visits for the local primary school, as well as with others through a Community Cafe and a women’s ‘Samosas and Scones’ group. The provision of a much-needed Food Hub has further strengthened these connections. The congregation mainly lives locally, if not always in the parish. The church building with its integral church hall is in reasonable condition, but with some issues which the Finance and Fabric committee are looking to address.
St Margaret’s has recently completed a 3 year period of Interim Ministry, which followed a period of over three years without ordained leadership which had left the very capable lay leadership feeling very stretched. The Interim Ministry sought to address important questions, particularly about sustainability, and did so successfullyFollowing widespread consultation. The Interim Ministry showed what is needed for St Margaret’s lay leadership (and the church) to flourish. St Margaret’s could survive if it was strictly lay-led, with some oversight and limited input from an ordained clergy person. But it’s unlikely that it would thrive to the extent being seen now.
Both St Margaret’s and Fountains Church are located in the Deanery of Inner Bradford. The Deanery is comprised of parishes similar in demographic context to St Margaret’s, many of whom are experimenting with mixing new approaches to worship and mission alongside inherited patterns. There is therefore a group of creative and supportive colleagues in Deanery chapter, all of whom will be deeply familiar with the joys and challenges that each other faces. Everyone is expected to work with a spirit of generosity in sharing wisdom and insights about ministry, and especially with regard to “lay-led churches”, within the Deanery of Inner Bradford and across the Episcopal Area.
For an informal conversation about this vacancy please contact Archdeacon Andy Jolley on 07973 458403
Application is via Pathways with a closing date of 14th March and interviews planned for 28th March 2025
Vacancy Brochure Role Description Person spec Frizinghall Profile Fountains Profile Frizinghall Profile