St James Silsden is a large single-church small town parish with a “village” feel to the west of Keighley and Bradford. Silsden lies on the Leeds-Liverpool canal and was originally a mill village with a non-conformist Methodist heritage. The church buildings are at the heart of the town, on the high street which has a variety of pubs, cafes and small shops.
The parish has recently become vacant after a faithful ministry of 13 years from the previous clergy (a husband and wife job-share). Important building blocks are in place in terms of engagement with the community, regular Alpha courses, a range of worship service styles, good governance structures and development of the church buildings. Lay ministry has been carefully nurtured, with increased confidence and a growing leadership pipeline.
From the perspective of the Episcopal Area, we see three particular specific tasks for the Interim Ministry beyond the normal demands of parish ministry:
- To develop and implement a plan for mission amongst the people living and moving into the new housing developments in the parish;
- To determine whether the parish's finances can be built up sufficiently to sustain the deployment of a full-time vicar in future;
- To help the parish develop and articulate its identity, so it is clear what kind of skills and experience they are seeking in the next incumbent at the end of the Interim Ministry.
For an informal chat about this role please contact Archdeacon Andy Jolley on 07973 458403
Application is via Pathways. THe closing date is 11th April with interviews planned for 26th April 2024.
Documents relating to the vacancy can be found by clicking on the links belo:
Parish brochure Role Description Person Spec