Following a series of retirements, we had the opportunity 18 months ago to reimagine our approach to mission and ministry in the North East area of the Bradford Episcopal Area. This area includes the parishes of Holy Trinity Idle, St John’s Greengates, St John’s Thorpe Edge, St Luke’s Eccleshill and St Cuthbert’s Wrose. The five parishes share strong similarities in terms of context and demographics. In particular, these include new-build housing developments and social housing estates. Relationships have been strengthening considerably between the congregations, not least through sharing a week of prayer, Lent meetings and an Alpha course. Much credit for this goes to the vicar of Holy Trinity Idle and the Area Dean. As relationships and collaboration have deepened, so has the appetite to reorganise the parishes to find new structures which will reflect and support the patterns of mission, ministry and worship that develop in this next season. The new post-holder is expected to contribute to this process.
Building on the closer relationships that have been developing between these five parishes, we were able to seek three new clergy, who would work collaboratively with each other, and with the Resourcing Church of Holy Trinity Idle to take forward mission across the whole area. The new roles have been designed to help take forward this spirit of collaboration and a shared approach to meeting the current and emerging mission and ministry needs across these parishes. Each stipendiary post across north-east Bradford combines a proper focus on the needs of an individual parish with offering and receiving particular skills to and from neighbouring parishes.
Estates Church Planting
The need here is for an enabling priest with an entrepreneurial spirit. While they may well be involved in leading one of the new worshipping communities themselves, this will be to model a leadership approach. (S)he will need to focus on creating and overseeing a mission plan for the whole area. To implement this plan, (s)he will need to grow new lay leaders and leadership teams, encouraging and coaching them as they plant new worshipping communities to realise our ambition to establish a worshipping and missional presence in every significant community and estate of North-East Bradford.
St John’s Thorpe Edge
St John’s Thorpe Edge is an urban parish of just over 5000 people in north-east Bradford, and is in the top 2% nationally in terms of overall deprivation. It comprises a large social housing estate, with the church buildings at its heart, as well as some new-build housing. It forms a benefice with the parish of St John’s Greengates, but for the latter part of the outgoing priest’s ministry she became part-time and relinquished her role at Greengates.
St John’s has a long-standing and deep commitment to its local community. For example, its buildings include a day centre which hosts two groups, as well as a Community Café which provides very low-cost warm meals. The Community Hall is well used by local community groups. The church has also run a bedding bank to help local families in need. There are good relationships with other key community groups, including the Rockwell and Springfield Community Centres.
For an informal chat about this role please contact Ven Dr andy Jolley, achdeacon of bradford on 07973 458403
Application are via Pathways with a closing date of 23rd March and interviews planned for 10th April.